A Performance Review of a High Altitude Long Endurance Drone

Abstract

In this study, a performance review on a high altitude long endurance (HALE) drone which can operate at high-altitude as high as 19.81 km (65000 ft) and can fly typically more than 24 hours was done. General methodology for calculating aircraft performance was presented with an example on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which is in service today. Maximum endurance and range of UAV were calculated in an interval of 9-16 km flight altitude and 0.35-0.75 flight Mach number. A basic mission profile was chosen for the UAV which is one of the most important design inputs in aircraft design. While the aircraft is designed according to the requirements (payload, range, cost, etc.), mission profile parameters such as altitude and cruising speed of the aircraft are the keys for the selection of engine type. A turbofan engine performance model was used to predict the endurance and range of UAV. The engine performance model gives the output for fuel consumption and thrust which are necessary for endurance and range and also for checking if there is enough thrust to overcome the aerodynamic drag at a given flight speed and altitude. The results were presented as a guide for engineering students, performance engineers and UAV designers in a step by step approach.