ISSN 1068-7998, Russian Aeronautics (Iz.VUZ), 2017, Vol. 60, No. 2, pp. 163–168. © Allerton Press, Inc., 2017.

Original Russian Text © S.Z. Sverdlov, 2017, published in Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Aviatsionnaya Tekhnika, 2017, No. 2, pp. 3–7.

AIRCRAFT EQUIPMENT

Flight Duration, Potential and Relative Efficiency

of an Electric Multicopter
S. Z. Sverdlov
Vologda State University, ul. Lenina 15, Vologda, 160000 Russia
e-mail: c3c@mail.ru
Received December 16, 2015

Abstract—In this paper, it is proposed the flight duration to be assessed by the potential value and
the helicopter number. The data on the available power and the relative efficiency for a number of
multicopter models are provided.
DOI: 10.3103/S1068799817020015
Keywords: electric helicopter, flight duration, potential of the electric helicopter, helicopter number,
relative efficiency.

The design of electrical multirotor unmanned helicopter (multicopter) solves the problem of choosing
the device configuration providing the required flight time or maximizing the flight time for a given
payload. Flight modes, used during task execution, should be taken into consideration. However, for
simplification, configuration efficiency can be evaluated by the flight duration in the hovering mode. The
following reasons can serve as justification of such simplification. Energy consumption for the vertical
rise is higher than for the descent. In level flight, when the propellers are working in an oblique flow
mode, power consumption is lower than in hover mode [1, 2]. The author's experience proves that in
performing a simple flight mission (rise to the predetermined height with small horizontal shift from
the place of start, photographing in the hovering mode, return to the place of start) the flight duration is
close to the hovering time both measured experimentally and estimated [3].

FLIGHT DURATION IN HOVERING MODE

The formula that allows to calculate the flight duration of the electric helicopter in the hovering mode
is given in [4]:
wζQD ρn m
T= 3
, (1)
g 2 M 0 (1 + m) 3 2
where T is the flight time in the hovering mode; w is the energy density of the rechargeable battery
(relation of the battery energy to its mass); ζ is the power efficiency (coefficient of losses) considering
losses in the electric drive, the costs of power supply of the onboard equipment and losses caused by
the aerodynamic drag of the helicopter parts blown by an air stream from propellers; Q is the coefficient
of power efficiency of the propeller; D is the propeller diameter; n is the number of propellers; ρ is the air
density; g is the acceleration of gravity; M0 is the weight of the aircraft without a battery; m is the relative
mass of a battery: m = MB /M0, where MB is the weight of the rechargeable battery.
The theory of an ideal propeller ensures [2, 5] that the energy efficiency ratio
3
α 2
Q= (2)
β
(where α and β are the dimensionless coefficients of thrust and power) of the ideal propeller equals

163
164 SVERDLOV

π
Qid = ≈ 1.253 , (3)
2
and the effectiveness ratio of the real propeller working in place is equal to
π
Q = Qid ηo = ηo , (4)
2
where ηo < 1 is the relative efficiency of the propeller working in place.
Considering formula (4), and also the fact that M0 = MB /(1 + m) and that the battery energy storage
W = wMB , we will transform formula (1) into the following form:
πρ WD n
T= 3
ζηo . (5)
2g M M
The values of right-hand part of formula (5) are grouped in such a way that those ones, which the
aircraft constructor can not influence, are placed in the first part of the formula under the square root sign.
The following product ζηO that characterizes the energy efficiency of the multirotor helicopter, can be
called its relative efficiency, which we denote as ηHO:
ηHO = ζηo (6)
The rest of formula (5) consists of the values that the aircraft designer should choose as a main goal of
the aircraft design. Energy storage of the battery affects proportionally the flight duration. The flight time
is proportional to the diameter of propellers, the square root of their number and is in inverse proportion
to 3/2 power of the device mass.
It should be noted, however, that the aircraft designer cannot change values W, D, n, and M
independently from each other. Thus, increase in diameter of propellers will lead to the mass growth of
the device both because propellers become heavier and frame size will increase as the propeller grows in
size. The increase in battery energy storage by building up its mass will lead to an increase in the total
weight of the aircraft. At the same time, an increase in stored energy due to the growth of battery energy
density (application of more advanced battery technology) leads to a proportional increase in flight
duration.

POTENTIAL OF THE ELECTRIC HELICOPTER

The value
WD n
P= (7)
M M
determines performance potential of the electric multirotor helicopter. Flight duration in the hovering
mode is proportional to P. Let us call P as a potential of the electric helicopter. In addition to the value P,
duration of the flight depends on the efficiency ηHo. But unlike efficiency, which is difficult to calculate in
advance, potential is defined by four parameters which the designer can handle. Potential is easily
calculated for already existing configurations of multicopter, giving thereby data for comparisons of
the designed device to the available analogs.
Solving the problem of designing the aircraft with a predetermined flight time, we can estimate
the required potential. For this purpose, it is necessary to set the value of relative efficiency, which can be
accepted based on the results of analyzing the existing analogs (see below).
Another reason to use the P value in the multicopter design is that formula (7) is the basis of a simple
computer model, which allows the aircraft parameters in the design to be varied without the use of
sophisticated software, and it is easily seen how this value affects the flight duration that can be important
for example for aeromodellers.
Denoting the equation

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 FLIGHT DURATION, POTENTIAL AND RELATIVE EFFICIENCY 165

πρ
KT = , (8)
2 g3
we will write down a formula of flight duration for the electric helicopter in the hovering mode by using
the concepts of potential and relative efficiency introduced above:
T = KT ηBO P. (9)
n
Note that the expression D in the right-hand part of Eq. (7) is inversely proportional to the square
M
root of the disk loading, and W/M is the specific energy, namely, the energy storage per unit of flight
mass of the aircraft. The potential is proportional to the specific energy divided by the square root of the
disk loading. These values (disk loading and the load on the power) and similar dependencies are
traditionally used in the evaluation and design of helicopters [1, 2].

HELICOPTER NUMBER
Using the formulas (7)–(9) it is assumed that all values in them are given in SI units. However, other
dimensions for the aircraft parameters are used more often in practice of constructing the multirotor
helicopters. Thus, the diameter of propellers is usually set in inches. The battery energy is determined by
its voltage and capacity, which is identified, as a rule, in milliampere-hours. Although modern
computational tools allow non-SI units to be easily recalculated to the SI system, it makes sense to use
a criterion that is proportional to the potential P, but calculated using the units that are most often used in
practice.
Nominal battery energy is determined by its capacity (it will be set in milliampere-hours and be
represented as C), the nominal voltage of a cell (U1, for lithium-polymer batteries U1 = 3.7–3.8 V) and the
number of series-connected cells in the battery (S). Let G denote the mass given in grams (most common
class multicopters has a weight of not more than a few kilograms) and D—the propeller diameter in
inches. Taking into account these agreements, a quantity proportional to the potential can be expressed as
follows
C SU1 D n
H= . (10)
G G
Let the helicopter (electro-helicopter) number be identified as H. The KH multiplier, which converts the
value of H to the potential P expressed in SI units, is equal to
3.6 × 0.0254
KH = 3
= 2891.6 , (11)
0.001 2
where 3.6 is the recalculation coefficient of milliampere-hours to coulomb ( A ⋅ s ) ; 0.0254 is the inch
conversion factor to meters; 0.001 is the gram conversion factor to kilograms;
P = K H H. (12)
2
Under normal conditions (temperature 15°C, pressure 760 mm Hg, gravitation acceleration 9.81 m/s )
the KT factor is equal to
π1.225
KT = = 0.0451, (13)
2 × 9.813
the flight time (s) is expressed as follows
T = K T K H ηHO H . (14)
Since the use of formula (14) always requires the product of KT and KH factors, it is reasonable to
multiply them once. The multicopter flight time is usually evaluated in minutes. Therefore, the ratio can
be calculated as follows (for normal conditions):

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166 SVERDLOV

KT K H
K THM = = 2.18. (15)
60
Accordingly, the flight time in minutes will be expressed by the formula:
Tmin = K THM ηHO H . (16)
Note that the coefficient KT (and so KTHM), unlike KH, is not constant and may vary due to changes in air
density that, in its turn, depends on the temperature and atmospheric pressure.

AN IDEAL HELICOPTER
A hypothetical helicopter equipped with ideal propellers and propulsion system that converts energy
storage (of electric battery or fuel) into mechanical energy, expended on the propeller rotation, without
losses [2, 5], will be called as an ideal one.
The relative efficiency of an ideal propeller is ηOid = 1. The relative efficiency of the ideal helicopter is
also equal to unity.
According to (9) and (16), the flight time of an ideal helicopter in the hovering mode is equal to
T id = K T P ; (17)
id
Tmin = KTHM H . (18)
The values of the potential P and helicopter number H, introduced above, characterize the flight time
of the ideal helicopter, within a factor.

THE RELATIVE EFFICIENCY OF THE ELECTRIC HELICOPTER

Determined in accordance with formula (6), the relative efficiency of the helicopter ηH0 is the ratio of
energy costs of the ideal helicopter to the energy cost of the real helicopter of the same potential in
hovering mode. It follows from formulas (7) – (9), (16), (17) that the relative efficiency of the helicopter
is equal to
T T T T T
ηHO = id = minid
= min = = . (19)
T Tmin K THM H K T P πρ WD n
2g3 M M
Formula (19) allows us to estimate the effectiveness of existing multicopter configurations by
measuring the actual time of their flight in hovering mode and the potential (helicopter number)
calculated based on configuration parameters.
Table 1 presents the values of relative efficiency of a number of models of electric multirotor
helicopters.

Table 1. Helicopter numbers and relative efficiency

DJI Inspire 1 DJI Inspire 1
DJI DJI
Parameter Quadcopter (standard (optional
Phantom 2 Phantom 3
battery) battery)
Propeller diameter , inch 12 13 13 9.4 9.4
Number of propellers 4 4 4 4 4
Flight weight, g 2700 2935 3035 1000 1280
Battery capacity, mA·h 5200 4500 5700 5200 4480
The number of series-connected
4 6 6 3 4
battery cells
One cell voltage, V 3.7 3.7 3.8 3.7 3.8

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 FLIGHT DURATION, POTENTIAL AND RELATIVE EFFICIENCY 167

Table 1. Contd.
DJI Inspire 1 DJI Inspire 1
DJI DJI
Parameter Quadcopter (standard (optional
Phantom 2 Phantom 3
battery) battery)
Disk loading, N/m2 90.7 84.0 86.9 54.8 70.1
Helicopter number 13.2 16.3 19.7 34.3 27.2
Ideal helicopter flight time, min 28.7 35.6 42.9 74.8 59.3
Actual flight time, min 12 18 22 25 23
Relative efficiency, % 41.8 50.5 49.9 33.4 37.7

Values of relative efficiency for DJI quadcopters are calculated according to the producer. The flight
duration of the aircraft constructed by the author [3], is measured experimentally.
Based on the data in Table 1, it can be proposed the relative efficiency value to be considered in
the range of 40 to 50% for preliminary calculations of multicopters.

THE RELATIVE EFFICIENCY OF THE MULTICOPTER PROPELLERS

Fixed geometry propellers are the ones that are mostly used for construction of electric multirotor
helicopters [6]. It allows us to expect that the optimized shape of the propeller will provide higher relative
efficiency. Usage of such propellers considerably simplifies the aircraft design that is controlled solely by
adjusting the speed of electric motors by the flight controller (autopilot).
It is of interest to examine the data on the efficiency ratio and the relative efficiency of propellers used
in multicopters. Table 2 presents aggregated data on propellers manufactured by Landing Products, Inc.
under the trade name APC [7]. A series of APC MR propellers is intended for multirotor aircraft (MR is
MultiRotor). The data provided by Landing Products Inc. is a result of computing methods on the basis of
the vortex theory. They are in a good agreement with the experimental results presented in [8, 9].

Table 2. Efficiency of APC propellers during the work in place

Thrust Power Efficiency Relative
Diameter,
Propeller Pitch, in. coefficient coefficient ratio efficiency
in.
(α) (β) (Q) (η0)
8x45MR 8 4.5 0.1215 0.05068 0.835 0.667
9x45MR 9 4.5 0.1181 0.04801 0.845 0.674
10x45MR 10 4.5 0.1143 0.04624 0.835 0.666
10x55MR 10 5.5 0.1226 0.05874 0.731 0.583
11x45MR 11 4.5 0.1060 0.04046 0.853 0.681
12x45MR 12 4.5 0.1011 0.03669 0.876 0.699
12x55MR 12 5.5 0.1117 0.04855 0.769 0.613
13x55MR 13 5.5 0.1005 0.04180 0.762 0.608
14x55MR 14 5.5 0.0985 0.03812 0.811 0.647
16x55MR 16 5.5 0.0917 0.03186 0.871 0.695
18x55MR 18 5.5 0.0860 0.02752 0.917 0.732
Average value — — 0.1065 0.04261 0.828 0.661

Thrust and power coefficients were calculated by the least squares method for operation of
the propeller in place at the range of turns from minimum to the limit ones, recommended by the producer
for this model of the propeller.

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168 SVERDLOV

The values obtained of relative efficiency of propellers are consistent with the values 0.65–0.75 that
are given in literature for well-designed propellers [5]. The spread of values of relative efficiency for
different models of propellers is small. The average value of the relative efficiency of 66% can be used in
the preliminary design calculations.

REFERENCES
1. Mil’, M.L., Nekrasov, A.V., Braverman, A.S., Grodko, L.N., and Leikand, M.A., Vertolety: Raschet i
proektirovanie (Helicopters: Analysis and Design), Mil’, M.L., Ed., Moscow: Mashinostroenie, 1966.
2. Johnson, W., Helicopter Theory, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1980.
3. Sverdlov, S.Z., Kvadrolet (Quadcopter), URL: http://forum.rcdesign.ru/blogs/174358/blog18011.html.
4. Sverdlov, S.Z., Flight Duration of the Electric Unmanned Helicopter, Vestnik VolGU, vol. 15, no. 5, 2015,
pp. 11–16.
5. Obukhovskii, A.D., Aerodinamika vozdushnogo vinta (Propeller Aerodynamics), Novosibirsk: Izd. NGTU, 2009.
6. Moiseev, V.S., Gushchina, D.S., Moiseev, G.V., and Saleev, A.B., Unmanned Aerial Complexes. II.
Classification, Basic Principles of Design and Application, Izv.Vuz. Av. Tekhnika, 2006, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 3–5
[Russian Aeronautics (Engl. Transl.), vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 1–4].
7. APC Propeller Performance Data, Landing Products Inc. URL: http://www.apcprop.com/Articles.asp?ID=270.
8. Brandt, J.B. and Selig, M.S., Propeller Performance Data at Low Reynolds Numbers, Proc. 49th AIAA
Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Florida: Orlando, 2011.
9. Brandt, J.B., Deters, R.W., Ananda, G.K., and Selig, M.S., UIUC Propeller Data-base, URL:
http://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/props/propDB.html.

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