Experimental Investigation of the Aero-Propulsive Interactions on a High-Lift Distributed Electric Propulsion System

A common research platform to experimentally analyze distributed electric propulsion systems over lifting surfaces is developed and tested in the current effort. Experiments were conducted to evaluate aerodynamic performance and propulsive characteristics across a range of Reynolds numbers, flap deflections, motor tilt angles, and advance ratios. The setup incorporated precise motor control and six-axis force/torque sensing for both the wing and propellers. Results revealed critical sensitivities to geometric and operating parameters. The study provides the foundations for a common research model for DEP aerodynamics and an initial dataset to demonstrate the capability