UAV Icing: Numerical Simulation of Propeller Ice Accretion

Abstract

View Video Presentation: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-2673.vid In-flight icing on unmanned aerial vehicles is a severe hazard and imposes limits to the operational envelope. Icing has shown to lead to substantial aerodynamic performance losses on lifting surfaces and propellers. In this paper, a method to estimate the ice accretion on a propeller of a UAV using modern numerical methods is being developed. This method is used to calculate the ice shape in three different meteorological conditions. The results indicate, that the ice morphology had a strong influence on the aerodynamic properties of the rotor. All icing cases do increase the drag and therefore the power requirement of the rotor, which will limit the range of the UAV. While the performance penalties at temperatures closer to the freezing point are only small, the ice accretion can have a large impact on the thrust and the efficiency of a propeller. This paper highlights the need to implement proper procedures to avoid icing conditions in UAVs. If flying in icing conditions cannot be avoided, effective deicing or anti icing systems on the rotors of UAVs need to be implemented.