| High-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles may benefit from reductions in cost by using commercial off-the-shelf propulsion components. However, little performance data is available for these components. As a step in addressing this issue, a 3-hp electric aircraft motor with a 24 in x 12 in propeller was tested on a static thrust stand within an altitude chamber at pressure altitudes of 0 to 15 km altitudes at constant propeller speeds of 1000 to 5000 RPM. Thrust, input power, propeller RPM, motor temperature, and chamber pressure were measured to characterize motor performance and to verify the experimental set-up. The motor was capable of operating in the low-pressure environment and no mechanical or thermal issues were encountered. Static thrust decreased by approximately 61% between sea-level and 15 km pressure altitudes with a clear trend identified between thrust and air density. Dimensionless thrust, power, and torque coefficients were also estimated. The total uncertainty in the measured and calculated parameters was then assessed with a Monte Carlo simulation. |
