• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.401-407
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• 2016

This paper introduces 3-dimensional path planning and guidance including power model for high altitude long endurance (HALE) UAV using solar energy. Dubins curve used in this paper has advantage of being directly available to apply path planning. However, most of the path planning problems using Dubins curve are defined in a two-dimensional plan. So, we used 3-dimensional Dubins path generation algorithm which was studied by Randal W. Beard. The aircraft model which used in this paper does not have an aileron. So we designed lateral controller by using a rudder. And then, we were conducted path tracking simulations by using a nonlinear path tracking algorithm. We generate examples according to altitude conditions. From the path tracking simulation results, we confirm that the path tracking is well on the flight path. Finally, we were modeling the power system of HALE UAVs and conducting path tracking simulation during 48hours. Modeling the amount of power generated by the solar cell through the calculation of the solar energy yield. And, we show the 48hours path tracking simulation results.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.77-84
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• 2015

Recently, as the needs for eco-friendly aero propulsion system increase gradually, many study works have been conducted to develop the hybrid propulsion system for High Altitude Long Endurance(HALE) UAV. In this study, we analyzed both suitable energy distribution and management methodology among the total energy collected from solar cell and the total required energy of aerial vehicle and required energy of the regenerative fuel cell(RFC) for driving in the night time and optimized the energy balance mechanism based on the ascribed mission profile.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2016

The experiments related on structure and water electrolysis performance of HALE UAV stack were conducted in this study. Anode catalyst $IrRuO_2$ was prepared by Adam's fusion methods as 2~3 nm nano sized particles, and the cathode catalyst was used as commercial product of Premetek. The MEA (membrane electrode assembly) was manufactured by decal methods, anode and anode catalytic layers were prepared by electro-spray. HALE stack was composed of 5 multi-cells as $0.2Nm^3/hr$ hydrogen production rate with hydrogen pressure as 10 bar. The water electrolysis performance was investigated at atmospheric pressure and temperature of $55^{\circ}C$. Best performance of HALE UAV stack was recorded as cell voltage efficiency as 86%.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.393-404
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• 2014

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been applied to not only military missions like surveillance and reconnaissance but also commercial missions like meteorological observation, aerial photograph, communication relay, internet network build and disaster observation. Fuel cells make UAVs eco-friendly by using hydrogen. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) show low operation temperature, high efficiency, low noise and high energy density and those characterisitcs are well fitted with UAVs. Thus Fuel cell based UAVs have been actively developed in the world. Recently, fuel cell UAVs have started to develope for high altitude UAVs because target altitude of UAVs is expanded upto stratosphere altitude. Long endurance of UAVs is essential to improve effects of the missions. Improvement of UAV endurance time could be fulfilled by developing a hydrogen fuel storage system with high energy density and reducing the weight of UAVs. In this paper, research trend and analysis of fuel cell UAVs are introduced in terms of their altitude and endurance time and then the prospect of fuel cell UAVs are shown.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.29-36
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• 2017

In this study, a numerical analysis is made of the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in the solar arrays of HALE (High Altitude Lond Endurance) UAV. In the stratosphere where UAV operates, high level solar radiation is induced, heat transfer decreases due to natural convection and forced convection is dominated by ambient flow. In order to predict the solar array temperature range in this environment condition, the conjugate heat transfer analysis was carried out for the solar arrays on the main wing. The investigation focused on the temperature distribution of solar array and heat transfer characteristics according to influence of solar energy, flight condition as vehicle speed, air density, temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2015

In order to increase endurance flight efficiency of long endurance electric powered UAV, main wing of UAV should have high aspect ratio and low structural weight. Since a spar which consists of thin and slender structure for weight reduction can cause catastrophic failure during the flight, it is important to develop verification method of structural integrity of the spar with the light weight design. In this paper, process of structural analysis using non-linear finite element method was introduced for the verification of structural integrity of the spar. The static strength test of the spar was conducted to identify structural characteristic under the static load. Then, the experimental result of the spar was compared to the analytical result from the non-linear finite element analysis. It was found that the developed process of structural analysis could predict well the non-linear structural behavior of the spar under ultimate load.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.468-477
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• 2014

In this research, how a solar powered HALE (high altitude long endurance) UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) can climb and reach mission altitude, 18km, starting from the ground using only solar energy. A glider type aircraft was assumed as a baseline configuration which has wing area of $35.98m^2$ and aspect ratio of 25. Configuration parameters, lift and drag coefficients were calculated using OpenVSP and XFLR5 that are NASA open source programs, and climb flights were predicted through energy balance between available energy from solar power and energy necessary for a climb flight. Minimum time climb flight was obtained by minimizing flight velocities at each altitude and total time and total energy consumption to reach the mission altitude were predicted for different take off time. Also, aircraft moving distances due to westerly wind and flight speed were calculated.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.68-73
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• 2014

Research is being carried out at Korea Aerospace Research Institute with aim of design a HALE UAV(High Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Air Vehicle). HALE UAVs are ideally suited to provide surveillance, remote sensing and communication relay capabilities for both military and civilian applications. HALE UAVs typically cruise at an altitude between 15 km and 20 km, travelling at low speed and circling specific area of interest. Airframe structural point of view, weight reduction of the airframe structure is the most important method to improve the flight efficiency. High modulus CFRP(Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) has been used in designing the structure in order to minimize the airframe weight. With respect to structural design and analysis, the key question is to decide an adequate airworthiness certification base to define suitable load cases for sizing of various structural components. In this study, FAR(Federal Aviation Regulation) 23 have constituted the guidance and benchmark throughout all structural studies. And the MSC/FlightLoads was introduced to analyze the flight loads for the HALE UAV. The MSC/FlightLoads can compute the flexible air load and analyzed loads are distributed on structural model directly. A preliminary structural concept was defined in accordance with the estimated inertial and aerodynamic loads. A FEM analysis was carried out using the MSC/Nastran code to predict the static and dynamic behaviour of UAV structure.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.47-58
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• 2014

In this research, the initial sizing of a HALE(High Altitude Long Endurance) UAV which uses solar power and hydrogen fuel cell as an alternative energy was performed. Instead of a wing box type, a glider type was chosen since it is relatively easy to get a data thanks to many researches abroad. Maximum takeoff weight is around 150Kg and the propulsion system is composed of motor, propeller, solar cell, and hydrogen fuel cell which can be recharged through electrolysis. Maximum takeoff weight was estimated as aspect ratio, wing span, wing area change while considering energy balance of required energy which is necessary for flight during the entire day and available energy which can be taken from the solar cell.

• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.499-506
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• 2015

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) is operating widely in civil and military area. GNSS signals, however, can be easily interfered because its signal is vulnerable to jamming. Thus, a sort of backup or alternative system is needed in order that the navigation performance is assured to a certain degree in case of GNSS jamming. In order to suggest a series of backup or alternative system of regional navigation, in this paper, we introduced a high altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (HALE UAV) with pseudolites using inverted GPS and transceiver system. We simulated the positioning error of the regional navigation system using HALE UAV with inverted GPS or transceivers concepts. We estimated the position error of HALE UAV calculate user position errors based on the position error of HALE UAV and general pseudorange error.