Development and Implementation of an Autonomous Control System for a Micro-Turbogenerator Installed on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

The field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has experienced substantial growth, with applications expanding across diverse domains. Missions increasingly demand higher autonomy, reducing human intervention and relying more on advanced onboard systems. However, integrating hybrid power sources, especially micro-turboprop engines, into UAVs poses significant challenges due to their complexity, hindering the development of effective power management control systems. This research aims to design a control algorithm for dynamic power allocation based on UAV operational needs. A fuzzy logic-based control algorithm was implemented on the Single-Board Computer (SBC) of a micro-turbogenerator test bench, which was previously developed in an earlier study. After implementing and testing the algorithm, voltage stabilization was achieved at improved levels by tightening the membership function constraints of the fuzzy logic controller. Automating the throttle control of the Electric Ducted Fan (EDF), the test platform’s primary power consumer, enabled the electric generator’s maximum capacity to be reached. This result indicates the necessity of replacing the current electric motor with one that is capable of higher power outputs to support the system’s enhanced performance.