Recent technical advancements and research have generated substantial interest in electric and hybrid-electric aircraft for Advanced Aerial Mobility (AAM), where transformative and disruptive new aircraft are used to transport people and things in new ways to new locations not served by current air transport. This market is expected to grow to $120 billion dollars in worldwide vehicle sales by 2030.

The favorable aero-propulsive interactions of Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) are a key enabling technology for many advanced configurations, and thus an area of significant research interest for academia and industry. Use cases include increasing wing loading for cruise efficiency, super Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft, tilt-wing and deflected slipstream Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft, and even new wing-in-ground effect aircraft.

Wayfarer Aircraft has developed and patented a novel new form of wing lift augmentation called the Integrated High Lift Propulsor (IHLP), which uses DEP integrated with a mechanical high lift device. The system leverages complex propulsive-aerodynamic interaction to substantially improve aircraft performance. This improved performance enables energy efficient design of advanced powered lift aircraft that provide community compatible, economically and socially relevant mobility, with a positive everyday impact on people's lives.

The NSF Phase I project confirmed the feasibility of this innovation by wind tunnel testing a wing section in Mississippi State University's low speed, low turbulence wind tunnel. The wind tunnel model was designed to enable rapid reconfiguration for exploratory research of the influence of different parameters on overall system performance. The wind tunnel testing explored over 200 variations in key parameters to find the optimum configuration, as well as validate Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computer simulations of the complex propeller-wing aerodynamic interactions.

The results of the wind tunnel testing, along with additional CFD computer simulations, were then used to design a new airfoil optimized for the IHLP system. This new, optimized airfoil design resulted in a 40% reduction in the power required, while reducing mechanical complexity and increasing the internal volume available for the DEP electric drive system. Preliminary design of an integrated electric drive was completed, showing that the target system performance can be achieved with commercial off-the-shelf battery, motor, and controller components.

The validated airfoil performance was then used to design a complete wing for an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS). This wing will be installed on an existing in-service aircraft in the second phase of the project to validate the system performance in-flight. The aerodynamic and structural impacts of the modification were determined, demonstrating that the modification is feasible and that the resultant full vehicle performance meets the key performance parameters for the target commercial market.

The fundamental aerodynamic technology developed by this project is applicable to a wide range of aircraft size and missions, enabling new capability in defense, public safety, and humanitarian roles as well as improving quality of life for the public by enabling affordable advanced mobility and logistics in urban, suburban, and underserved rural areas. The substantially increased efficiency of the innovation enables these benefits to be realized while reducing the environmental impact of mobility. The NSF Phase I project was a crucial step in validating and developing this new technology, enabling Wayfarer to bring to market sustainable, economical, and socially relevant aircraft that broadly benefit humanity.

Last Modified: 08/12/2024
Modified by: Byron Ward