Simulation And Analysis Of Electric Motor Failure During E-Vtol Aircraft Operations In Turbulent Airwake

Abstract

eVTOL aircraft in advanced air mobility applications and in support of urban passenger transport are expected to operate from vertiports located on rooftops and other structures. This study illustrates a single design iteration for such an aircraft exercising comprehensive modeling and simulation coupled with a detailed, physics-based propulsion system model and with special consideration of operations in the turbulent urban airwake environment. It is investigated whether detailed aircraft simulation can identify crucial system requirements early in the design phase and ultimately help focus and accelerate the development process. The simulation tools are applied specifically to an approach and hover hold maneuver in an urban turbulent airwake in support of flight control and electric propulsion systems design. A single electric motor fault is explored to derive the requirements for the design and sizing of the electric propulsion system components and the flight controller. The study concludes with a list of items for the follow-on design iteration.