Analytical framework for the electrification of light rotorcraft for urban air mobility

Abstract

The present paper develops an analytical methodology to design electrical powertrains and to study the performance of multirotor configurations. The model is based on the general momentum and blade element theories and it has been modified to take into account for multiple rotors and vertical flight conditions. An iterative procedure to design battery packs and compute the discharge time is provided. The original contribution of the article is represented by the application of the above-mentioned methodology to design and compare different eVTOL vehicles against a reference lightweight helicopter with specified design features. As a result, a quadrotor configuration is identified as the best solution to fulfill all the mission requirements and improve the performance of the helicopter with additional benefits.