Feasibility Study for Hale UAV Airship Configuration

Abstract

In the last decade an increasing demand for high altitude long endurance (HALE) platforms has grown world wide. There are different concepts existing for these platforms: GEO-satellites, balloons, airships, aircraft with conventional propulsion, solar powered aircrafts. Each of these systems has its own advantages and disadvantages. Unmanned solar powered aircraft will open possibilities for new missions as well as help to reduce costs and / or optimize specific missions. Major advantages of solar powered HALE unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are very low operating costs and flexibility in mission tasks, payloads and availability. From a ground station they can easily be recovered for maintenance, repair or modificaiton. Numerous applications for solar powered HALE UAVs are conceivable: telecommunications relay, civil surveillance, atmospheric research, long term measurements of the ozone chemistry in the stratosphere. Power collection and consumption are key elements in the feasibility of achieving long duration high altitude flight. In the present feasibility study all the involved components of the aircraft are deeply studied in order to know their characteristics, advantages and drawbacks, as well as how will they affect to the operation and efficiency of the aircraft. In the same way, the environment has a significant influence on the vehicles capabilities: factors such as the time of the year, the latitude or the altitude will affect to the available solar power. Along these lines, all the most influent variables are taken into account to give between the possible different configurations which is the most appropriate aircraft design for a solar powered HALE UAV depending on the specified mission requirements.