OpenAirFrame: A Framework for eVTOL Multimodal Design-Space Exploration and Optimization

DARcorporation and Auburn University propose the development of a design, analysis, and optimization framework OpenAirFrame, that specifically tackles the challenges associated with assessing system architectures and conceptual aircraft design in a complex, multimodal design space with both continuous and discrete design variables. The proposal responds directly to the needs identified within SBIR Topic A1.06 – Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Vehicle Technologies – Multimodal Design Tools. The proposed solution will address some challenges that are inherent to the design of VTOL aircraft as well as several unresolved challenges and shortcomings of existing tools and capabilities: • Urban Air Mobility (UAM) VTOL aircraft pose particularly challenging design problems due to the vast configurational design space (with no preferred configuration thus far), multiplicity of propulsors, distributed electric propulsion, and transitions between vertical (thrust-borne) and horizontal (wing-borne) modes of flight. The dimensionality of the design space expands even further when electrified (as opposed to all-electric) propulsion is considered through hybrid-electric and turbo-electric propulsion. • There are commercial tools available that allow integration of other software for performing optimization. From a practical standpoint, however, the time, effort, and cost of molding them to perform the highly customized analyses and trade studies required for advancing electrified VTOL design will likely be comparable to that required for developing a unique software. • While there are existing tools that can manage continuous variable optimization in high-dimensional design spaces, they do not have an outer-loop manager for handling multiple disconnected parts of the design space within a simultaneous design study. In Phase I, the core functionalities will be demonstrated through sample design studies focusing on two of the reference RVLT UAM configurations.