Characterization of Aeropropulsive Performance of Small Unmanned Aircraft System Paramotor

A commercial-off-the-shelf small unmanned paramotor was analyzed through flight testing, computational aerodynamic simulation, and propulsion system modeling. Conventional flight-test procedures were adjusted to combat platform-specific challenges. Low-order modeling approaches were adapted for the vehicle and aeropropulsive performance characteristics of lift-to-drag ratio, climb rate, and power required for steady flight were verified. Having quantified the effect of wing loading on the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle, a process for estimating endurance as a function of payload weight and composition was developed and demonstrated. Results indicated that for the tested vehicle the maximum endurance was consistently found at the maximum manufacturer recommended flight weight.