Improved Flight Dynamics of a Fuel-Cell Powered Hybrid UAV with a Cyclorotor

Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) have made substantial progress in research over the last decade, As a result of its capability to enhance tactical spatial awareness in combat activities and a wide range of other areas that might be hazardous or demanding for human engagement. Researchers are interested in UAVs because of their ability to execute reconnaissance and sensing tasks that cannot justify the expense of space satellites due of their short mission lifetime. UAVs with longer endurance needs to have higher hover time than conventional counterparts which can be achieved using a Cyclorotor that can generate forward thrust even at lower wind speeds. But UAVs also need more power to sustain the long fight without increasing the battery size and weight. A fuel cell can satisfy this hurdle by generating electrical energy on-board using electro-chemical process. This report explores the feasibility of integrating cyclorotor and fuel cell into hybrid UAV to improve its endurance and support surveillance missions.