Thrust variations in small rotors due to corner and vertex effects on the ground side

What is it about?

Rotor thrust near the corner, or vertex can change due to wake flow circulation. In the study, thrust variations were evaluated experimentally. Furthermore, the wake flow of the rotor was visualized using the laser-light-sheet method.

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Photo by Lukas Busch on Unsplash

Photo by Lukas Busch on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Small unmanned rotorcraft can fly close to walls for surveillance, a situation typically avoided by manned helicopters. As a result, thrust behavior near obstacles is not well understood. Clarifying these variations and their causes is important for the safe and stable operation of small rotorcraft near the vertex and corner.