Development and Flight-Test System Identification of a Subscale Integrated High Lift Propulsor Testbed

Recent advancements in electric and hybrid-electric aircraft have sparked interest in innovative aircraft for Advanced Aerial Mobility (AAM). Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), with its favorable aero-propulsive interactions, is a key focus for advanced aircraft designs, and thus an area of significant interest for academia and industry. Wayfarer Aircraft has developed and patented a novel new form of blown wing lift augmentation called the Integrated High Lift Propulsor (IHLP), which uses DEP integrated with a Krueger slat or flap. This paper presents the development and initial test results of a subscale IHLP distributed electric propulsion testbed that will be used to characterize the performance and handling qualities (P&HQ) of IHLP. The subscale aircraft incorporates a custom flight control and data acquisition system to enable this flight research using classic and system identification techniques. The paper presents IHLP including its advantages and performance improvements in high-lift and cruise conditions compared to conventional distributed electric propulsion (DEP) systems. The development of the IHLP subscale testbed is presented, including modifications, instrumentation, and development of the custom flight controller. Initial ground and flight test results are included to demonstrate the features and capabilities of the subscale testbed.