High performance electrical power systems for unmanned airborne vehicles

It is noted that unmanned vehicles initially draw power from the launch platform for preflight diagnostics, go/no-go status, and the programming of an initial flight plan. The onboard power system consists of two sources: batteries are used for preflight checkout, postlaunch sequences, and emergency power for autorecovery sequences; and a generator/regulator system is utilized after launch to supply power for all avionics modules. System trade studies on the development of high-performance electrical power systems are discussed. Test results are then presented on four programs: phase control with shaft position sensing; a high-frequency resonant converter, which lowers electromagnetic emissions and system size and weight by using high-frequency sinusoidal resonance as the power conversion vehicle; a hybrid shunt regulator; and switched reluctance systems, a solution for high-temperature (>500°F) power systems on next generation high-performance turbine engines