NWPU V/STOL UAV

NWPU V/STOL UAVs are Chinese V/STOL UAVs developed by Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU). Most of these are proof of concept experimental UAVs to explore new technology in the arena of V/STOL.

Carrier Pigeon

Carrier Pigeon is a micro air vehicle (MAV) designed by NWPU, and it is an ornithopter. The general designer of Carrier Pigeon unmanned ornithopter is Mr. Wang Jin (王进), a graduate of NWPU. Under the guidance of Professor Song Bi-Feng (宋笔锋), the dean of School of Aeronautics of NWPU, Mr. Wang Ji and his team spend three years developing the first ornithopter in China, which was finally successfully completed in 2011, and by that time, Mr. Wang Ji had graduated from undergraduate studies and has become a graduate student at NWPU. Carrier Pigeon has a total of a dozen patents and can be either remotely piloted,^[1] or fully autonomous. At the time of its successful completion in 2011, it was the only ornithopter in China that is capable of autonomous flight.^[2] The flight control and navigation system of Carrier Pigeon is provided by Chengdu Jouav Automation Technology Co., Ltd. (成都纵横自动化技术有限公司), and the UAV is in the form of a pigeon and is hand launched.^[3] The main purpose of Carrier Pigeon is to explore technology of ornithopter.

Fire Wheel

Fire Wheel (Feng-Huo-Lun or Fenghuolun, 风火轮) UAV is a VTOL micro air vehicle (MAV) designed by NWPU, and it is a cyclogyro with landing gear consists of four legs. Two axes perpendicular to each other forming a cross, with a pair of cycloidla propellers at the opposite ends of one axis, and a pair of rotors mounted at the opposite ends of the second axis.^[4][5][6] The general designer of Fire Wheel is associate professor Mr. Hu Yu (胡峪), who led his team spend around a year to complete the design. Specification:^[7]

• Length (m): 1
• Width (m): 1
• Height (m): 0.6
• Weight (kg): 1.3

Flatfish

Flatfish UAV is an experimental V/STOL UAV developed by NWPU. Flatfish UAV is in mid wing configuration and conventional layout, with T-tail and tricycle landing gear. Propulsion is provided by three engines, with the larger main engine mounted in the fuselage, mainly to provide lift. There are two smaller propeller mounted at the each side of the fuselage at empennage, and these smaller engines are mainly used to provide propulsion during level flight.^[8]

Goblin

Goblin (Jing-Ling or Jingling, 精灵) UAV is a V/STOL micro air vehicle (MAV) developed by NUAA. Goblin is in X-wing configuration, and propulsion is provided by a propeller driven electrical pusher engine mounted in the nose. The MAV is sitting upward with propeller pointing to the sky during take-off and landing, and during flight, it would transition to level flight by turning ninety degrees as a conventional aircraft. Goblin is designed by a team of five graduate students of NWPU working on their Ph.D., and the team leader is Mr. Wang Jin (王进)^[9] Specification:^[9]

• Weight (kg): 0.7
• Endurance (min): 20 – 25
• Range (km): 7
• Speed (km/hr): 50

Hercules

Hercules (Da-Li-Shi or Dalishi, 大力士) UAV is a STOL UAV developed by NWPU that is specifically intended to explore the technology of aircraft carrier landing, namely, optical assisted landing system. Hercules is in conventional layout with high wing configuration and tricycle landing gear. Propulsion is provided by a two-blade propeller driven tractor engine mounted in the nose. STOL is achieve by incorporating three sets of flaps on each wing.^[10] Specification:^[11]

• Weight (kg): 20
• Wingspan (m): 3.8
• Propulsion: electric motor
• Navigation: GPS
• Take-off distance (m): < 20

Isometric Helix Lifter

Isometric helix lifter (Deng-Ju Luo-Xuan-Xian Sheng-Li Fa-Sheng-Qi Yan-Zheng-Ji, 等距螺旋线升力发生器验证机) is an experimental UAV designed to explore the arena of isometric helix lifter STOL technology. The UAV is in a cylindrical frame with the wall of the cylinder consisting of a total of four rotor blades, which are controlled by rails connecting the top and bottom circles of the cylindrical frame. When the direction in which the rotor blades move is at 90 degrees angle with the direction of the travel, the lifting is independent of the speed, thus making it theoretically possible to achieve higher speed than the conventional helicopter.^[12]

Lift-fan UAV

Lift-fan (Sheng-Li Feng-Shan, 升力风扇) is an experimental UAV developed by NWPU to explore technologies applicable to vertical take-off in lift-fan design. As with most lift-fan type UAV, this UAV is also in cylindrical shape with ducted fan as part of its fuselage, and payload can be installed either above or below the propulsion system. ^[13]

Nimble Dragon

Nimble Dragon (Ling-Long or Linglong, 灵龙) UAV is a VTOL experimental UAV developed by NWPU that is a combination of rotary and fixed wing aircraft with tricycle landing gear.^[14] The UAV in conventional layout with T-tail.^[15] There are two rotors, with a two-blade main rotor mounted atop the fuselage, and a tail rotor mounted at the starboard side of the tail. A two-blade propeller driven tractor engine mounted in the nose provides power at the level flight.^[16]

Nimble Dragon takes off like a helicopter with the main rotor rotating, but once airborne, the main rotor locks into a fixed position perpendicular to the fuselage, thus becoming the main wings, while the pair of shorter wings near the nose become canards. The main rotor functions as the source of vertical take-off and source of lift during the level flight.^[17]

See also

List of unmanned aerial vehicles of the People's Republic of China

References