Climb Performance of Electric UAVs

Electric aircraft have a lower endurance compared to conventional non-electric aircraft, as they are limited by the low energy density of the batteries they carry. To improve the performance of electric vehicles, the climb phase can be optimized for a more energy efficient climb. Past studies on climb phase optimization of aircraft focus on minimizing time required to climb. However, for some applications, it is preferable for an aircraft to be airborne for as long as possible. The aim of this study is to optimize the climb phase by maximizing climb height of an aircraft based on the amount of energy available. In the climb optimization process of an unmanned aircraft, two different climb regimes can be observed based on the power settings. Changes to aircraft parameters were also studied to discover how these changes will affect its climb performance.