Modelling of a Small Electric Aircraft Pipistrel Velis Electro

Abstract

Transportation electrification has become an active area of research and development in academia and industry, with a strong focus on decarbonizing the sector to move toward a more sustainable environment. As an important player in the global sustainable transportation movement, the aviation industry is also witnessing accelerated efforts towards electrification. This transition comes with many challenges in terms of battery performance, aircraft flight range, and operational safety. Therefore, development of comprehensive simulation models, that replicate the behavior of an actual aircraft, is essential for studying the system’s overall performance. Such models provide invaluable insights into battery health, methods to extend range, and ways to improve flight missions for more efficient battery usage. This thesis aims to develop a mathematical model of the aircraft propeller and a simulation model of the electric powertrain consisting of the battery pack, inverter, and motor. The aircraft under study is the Pipistrel Velis Electro, a two-seater, type-certified, fully electric aircraft. Two methods are proposed to model the propeller behavior: one based on the aircraft equations of motion and the other based on the motor power command. Both methods compute the thrust, motor rotational speed, and load torque for each phase of the flight using different input sets, and these outputs are supplied to the powertrain model. Two modes of operation are considered for the powertrain: an autopilot flight mode and a pilot-controlled mode, with phase detection between powered and glide phases. The simulations are validated by comparing the results with actual Velis Electro flight data obtained from the Waterloo Wellington Flight Center.