Propulsion Rig: A multirotor performance measurement test platform

MechatronicSystems.Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Cape Town, South Africa

^* Corresponding author: HSWGUY001@myuct.ac.za

Abstract

Off-the-shelf multirotor propulsion system components can produce uncertain static and dynamic performance. Commercially, solutions exist to characterise the inexact performance of the propulsion system, yet they are prohibitively expensive. To that end, the Propulsion Rig, a low-cost and open-source multirotor test platform, is developed and used to measure the principal performance characteristics of multirotor propulsion systems. The data gathered can be used to generate static and dynamic models of the propulsion system of interest, thereby reducing the uncertainty in the drivetrain performance. The models can be used to validate conceptual multirotor designs, and, additionally, incorporated into simulation models to aid the control design process. By accounting for the propulsion system dynamics, the control scheme performance can potentially be improved. Static propeller characterisation results obtained from the Propulsion Rig are shown to closely match data provided in reputable online databases.