Abstract
Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) is developing an electric-driven HALE UAV in order to secure system and operational technologies since 2010. Based on the 5 years of flight tests and design experiences of the previously developed electric-driven UAVs, KARI has designed EAV-3, a solar-powered HALE UAV. EAV-3 weighs 53 kg, the structure weight is 21 kg, and features a flexible wing of 19.5 m in span with the aspect ratio of 17.4. Designing the main wing and empennage of the EAV-3 the amount of the bending due to the flexible wing, 404 mm at 1-G flight condition based on T-800 composite material, and side wind effects due to low cruise speed, V_cr = 6 m/sec, are carefully considered. Also, unlike the general aircraft there is no center of gravity shift during the flight. Thus, the static margin cuts down to 28.4% and center of gravity moves back to 31% of the Mean Aerodynamic Chord (MAC) comparing to the previously developed scale-down HALE UAVs, EAV-2 and EAV-2H, to minimize a trim drag and enhance a performance of the EAV-3. The first flight of the EAV-3 has successfully conducted on the July 29, 2015 and the test flight above the altitude 14 km has efficiently achieved on the August 5, 2015 at the Goheung aviation center.
