Motverkan av isbildning och avisning av drönar-propellrar

Abstract

In sea rescue operations performed by Sjöräddningssällskapet swedish sea rescue, having an almost immediate evaluation of the scope and nature of an accident is critical in making informed decisions. This evalutation is essential for making decisions regarding the allocation of resources, such as equipment, personnel and rescue vehicles. Sjöräddningssällskapet makes use of drones to rapidly gather visual information at the accident in favorable weather conditions. Typically the drone can reach the scene within five to twenty minutes at its maximum speed when the ambient temperature is above zero degrees Celsius. However, in atmospheric icing conditions the moisture in the air creates ice buildup on the propeller causing the drone to operate well below its optimal capacity. Leading to reduced flying performance due to the propellers disrupted aerodynamics and increased weight due to ice, with a higher energy consumption.In the worst case scenario the drone is not able to reach the accident site before the battery is depleted. Therefore it is necessary to develop a system to counteract atmospheric icing conditions during the drone rescue operations, ensuring reliability in performance and functionality of the drone. The aim of this thesis is to investigate and develop methods to avoid and reduce the ice buildup on the propeller blade. With a focus on minimizing flight time reduction and energy draw. Keeping the reductions to a minimum to maximise the drones distance and speed while avoiding ice accretion. This study contains reviews of both currently used deicing techniques and their suitability to this small scale usage and more experimental techniques not in use for deicing applications. To identify promising and optimal solutions that can be further looked into. The finding can be utilised to improve the performance of drones during sub-zero weather, therefore improving search and rescue operations over sea.