Tricopter Vibration Analysis

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is exposed to various types of stress during flight. One of the most significant negative influences is the vibrations produced by the rotating parts. If we assume a UAV of the multicopter type, it is a stress of the whole structure by vibrations produced by propulsion units, which are placed on symmetrically distributed arms. The propulsion unit consists of an electric-propeller assembly, with the propeller being the largest source of vibration. This is due to the uneven distribution of the mass with respect to its axis of rotation. In addition to the propeller, the rotating part is also the electric motor itself, although the electric motor contributes much less to the total vibrations than the propeller. For this reason, it is necessary to balance the propeller first statically and then dynamically balance the entire drive unit (engine + propeller). Our work is focused on vibration diagnostics of an experimental tricopter in order to optimize the power units - to produce the smallest possible vibrations.