Electric Flight in Extreme and Uncertain Urban Environments

Mingkai Wang, Saulo O. D. Luiz, Shuguang Zhang () and Antonio M. N. Lima
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Mingkai Wang: School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhongguancun South Street 5, Haidian, Beijing 100081, China
Saulo O. D. Luiz: Department of Electronics and Systems, Center of Technology and Geosciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 50740-550, PE, Brazil
Shuguang Zhang: School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Xueyuan Road 37, Haidian, Beijing 100191, China
Antonio M. N. Lima: Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Rua Aprigio Veloso 855, Campina Grande 58429-900, PB, Brazil

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-22

Abstract: In a typical application scenario for electric aircraft, the emerging urban air mobility is faced with uncertain environmental conditions. To investigate the potential influence of uncertainties, this paper first develops comprehensive models of aircraft rigid body motion and electric propulsive performance. The urban environment model is built with emphasis on wind speed and the heat island effect. Thereafter, a flight guidance law augmented with nonlinear dynamic inversion is proposed to facilitate the performance evaluation of electric aircraft. Multiple simulations at various dates, times, and with different battery aging statuses are conducted. The results show that the battery aging effect and ambient temperature change are the most important factors that influence the aircraft performance. Suggestions to enhance the performance are given based on simulations.

Keywords: urban air mobility; electric aircraft; aircraft performance; flight guidance law (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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