Drone cabs: a thesis to improve electric propulsion performance

Technologies with multiple advantages...

Today, major manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing are working with innovative start-ups like Lhilium and Volocopter to develop prototypes of electric flying vehicles with vertical take-off and landing. Drawing on advanced aeronautical and electric propulsion technologies, these vehicles offer a host of advantages for use in dense urban areas, including low greenhouse gas emissions, low noise levels, low altitude flight and much simpler air traffic management than helicopters.

... but technological challenges remain

There are still many challenges ahead for manufacturers, before flying cabs can be seen criss-crossing our city skies. Acceptance of these new machines requires not only new airspace regulations, but also technological advances in terms of reliability and performance, to improve autonomy, flight time and reliability, for example.
In this context, ESTACA's research teams, in collaboration with GeePs / CentraleSupelec, are mobilized to contribute to studies aimed atimproving the reliability and performance of the electric propulsion chain of drone cabs.
Saad Chahba, a doctoral student at ESTACA'LAB, is developing a methodology for sizing the propulsion systems used in multi-rotor aerial vehicles. This sizing enables the propulsion chain components - propeller, electric motor, power electronics and energy storage system (ESS) - to be located quickly and accurately to meet the requirements of a flight mission. Sizing also makes it possible to evaluate the configuration of the ESS, based on a battery, a fuel cell, or even a battery-cell duo, on the performance of the aerial vehicle, particularly in terms of flight time.