Enhancing electromagnetic launch capability: design of a small launch system for large UAVs

摘要

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) play a critical and increasing role in modern combat, giving significantly enhanced surveillance, communication and strike capabilities. There are currently a large range of UAV’s available, but in general the more capable the UAV, the larger and heavier it becomes. The largest UAVs such as the Naval MQ-4C Triton are currently operated exclusively from land-based runways.udThe BAE systems “UXV Combatant” is designed as a drone mothership, able to deploy large numbers of UAV’s and including two 50m flight decks for launch and recovery systems. In order for the UXV combatant to deploy large naval drones such as the Triton, a significant electromagnetic launch system will be needed. This work looks at design and modelling of an electromagnetic launch system capable of launching a Triton sized large UAV at high acceleration from a small naval platform. The work considers both the UXV combatant design, and the use of the rear flight deck of the existing Type 45 design.udThe work consists of outlining the launch requirements of the drone, initial scoping of system power requirements and selection of launch topology, analytical modelling of the system launch cycle and Finite Element Analysis to verify the chosen motor system design.udThe results of this work show that an electromagnetic linear motor based system capable of launching large naval drones is feasible from a Type 45 scale launch platform, either configured as a drone carrier or by using the existing flight deck.