한국항공우주연구원
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Leading the Future Aviation Industry with Core Next-Generation Technologies
Aviation
Development of cutting-edge aircraft for the advancement of the aviation industry
The aviation industry is technology-led and technology-competitive based on technology integration and industry applying cutting-edge technologies such as computers, precision machinery, communications electronics, and new materials, wielding a large ripple effect on other industries. KARI focuses on improving the technology level and building the foundation for independent technology development to facilitate the development of the high-value-added aviation industry. KARI successfully developed the Bandi, a small four-seater aircraft with domestic technology and 18 core components for civil and military use as to be applied to the Korean Helicopter Program (KHP) for helicopter technology independence. That made Korea the 11th country in the world to develop helicopters. Related technologies were also derived for the development of military and civil helicopters. KARI signed the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) with the United States to enter overseas markets for aviation technology and developed the small aircraft (KC-100) certified for international aviation safety.Development of personal aircraft for eco-friendly, high-efficiency aviation technology and transportation innovation
The competition to develop eco-friendly, high-efficiency aviation technologies and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enhance the economy, safety, and efficiency of aircraft has heated up recently. Although UAVs were initially developed for military use, their applications have recently expanded to private sectors such as science and technology, transportation, communication, logistics, rescue, aerial photography, and agriculture, and they are expected to lead the aviation industry’s growth and market in the future. According to aerospace and defense consulting company Teal group, the UAV market size is expected to grow to USD 12.5 billion by 2023, USD 880 million of which will be for civil use, to show a high annual average growth of 35%. Since UAV is the convergence system of aviation technology and IT, it is ideal for Korea. Currently considered to have the world’s top 7 UAV technical competitiveness, Korea aims to rank among the top 5 UAV industrial countries by 2023 and among the top 3 by 2027. KARI is developing a personal air vehicle (PAV) that will bring transportation innovation in the future through the convergence of advanced UAVs, aviation technology, and information and communication technology (ICT) that can penetrate the global UAV niche markets. Beginning with the Durumi, a small endurance UAV, KARI developed a medium-sized aerostat system and an LTA (Lighter Than Air) aircraft system with long endurance. It also developed the world's second smart UAV, a tiltrotor capable of both vertical takeoff/landing and high-speed flight. Since then, the institute has transferred the smart UAV technologies to industries, and it plans to develop various derivative technologies such as automatic shipboard takeoff/landing technology, tilt duct UAV, and quad tilt-prop (QTP) UAV to be used for the commercialization of tiltrotor UAV, future aircraft, and next-generation flight vehicles. KARI has also developed an electrical aerial vehicle (EAV), a solar-powered UAV that can stay in the stratosphere for a long time, and various types of disaster relief UAVs that can protect public safety and respond to disasters and accidents. Currently, KARI is developing future advanced core technologies for unmanned vehicles to identify innovative unmanned vehicles such as autonomous vehicles and autonomous ships and develop original technologies. Moreover, KARI is developing the core technologies for the optionally piloted personal air vehicle (OPPAV) that will bring new air traffic innovations, the unmanned aerial system traffic management (UTM) system for the safe and efficient flight of UAVs, and the small UAV certification technology to broaden the use of UAVs in the private sector. Its R&D program also includes the UAV collision avoidance system that automatically determines the risk of aerial collision and avoids it.Rotary-wing aircraft (Rotorcraft, Helicopter)
KARI has been developing key rotorcraft technologies such as anti-torque system, next-generation rotor system, and bearingless rotor hub that can be applied to the Korean rotorcrafts being developed.
KARI began research on core technology for multipurpose rotorcraft in the 1990s. It analyzed domestic and international rotorcraft-related research trends and issues, and then began the conceptual and preliminary design of multipurpose rotorcraft. At this stage, the development and construction of a general small-scale rotor test system (GSRTS) had been finished. The core technologies needed for the development of the rotorcraft were obtained and the results of the research has been widely used for the subsequent rotor-related research and development.
The major research scopes on core technologies for multipurpose rotorcraft include the analysis of domestic and international research trends related to rotorcrafts, analysis of design and manufacturing status, requirement analysis of multipurpose rotorcraft design , conceptual and preliminary design, definition and classification of rotary-wing technology, test items and facility investigation, airworthiness certification criterion analysis, manufacturing of conceptually designed rotorcraft model, wind tunnel test, composite rotor blade design/analysis/manufacturing, test and evaluation technology research, and establishment of advanced small-scaled rotor test system.
KARI participated in the Korean Helicopter Program (KHP) and managed the development of core components for both civil and military dual usages. The domestic vendors and universities participating in the program had developed 18 core components including rotor systems, engines, auxiliary power units, fuel system components, pressure accumulators, hydraulic pump, landing gear, and air data system, contributing to the military conversion of Surion helicopters.
Moreover, the whirl tower test facility(KARI WTTF) built in the Goheung Aviation Test Center for rotor system performance, dynamic characteristics, pre-flight endurance and dynamic balancing tests had been utilized not only for development test but also for mass production test; thus contributing to the growth of the domestic helicopter industry. The program constructed the independent helicopter development infrastructure by expanding the open-type wind tunnel test section for the testing of rotorcraft with test systems and machines.
The goal of the KHP is not only the manufacturing of transport utility helicopters. In addition to transport utility helicopters but also establishment of a domestic training system including a simulated flight training system (simulator) and a maintenance training system as well as a comprehensive logistical support system covering various kinds of test equipment and electronic manuals. Domestic participating companies shared a certain portion of the development cost of the KRW 1.296 trillion national program to maximize the company’s motivation for success.
The following three development leading organizations were assigned a unique mission along with domestic and foreign partners: KAI, which was in charge of system design and integration; ADD to develop the mission systems; and KARI to develop components for civil and military dual usages. The first prototype was shipped In July 2009, and the first flight in March 2010 was successful in various flight test evaluations. Subsequently, with the initial operational test and evaluation confirming the successful development, actual deployment began in May 2013, and about 200 units are expected to be deployed by 2022.
Based on the technology and infrastructure obtained through the Surion development project, KARI has been developing the core technologies of light civil helicopters (LCH), including the main rotor blade (MRB), automatic flight control system (AFCS), and active vibration control system (AVCS).
For MRB, KARI has obtained its own technical capabilities such as shape design technology to improve rotor blade performance and reduce noise, framework for optimization design and analysis, and ground test evaluation technology through domestic manufacturing. Later, the technologies will be used for subsequent performance improvement projects.
For the AFCS software, KARI studies on the structural and functional design of the flight control law of the LCH system wherein automatic flight control commands with limited authority and manual control commands of the pilot are combined, construction and independent review of the V&V framework for model-based design complying with the DO-178C development procedure, and validation of the control rules through the evaluation of the PILS/HILS ground test were carried out. KARI plans to validate the developed flight control rules through the final flight test.
For the AVCS, KARI research to develop and certify software applying DO-178C, the US avionics software airworthiness standard, algorithm for the best performance, and optimization technology to optimize the drives and sensor shape through ground and flight tests is conducted.
Moreover, Supplementary Type Certification (STC) is also in progress in cooperation with the domestic airworthiness authority. Later, the technologies will be used for the development of other domestic helicopters.
04Development of core technology for unmanned rotorcraft (helicopters, ducted-fan systems, electric powered rotorcraft)
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For unmanned rotorcraft, KARI is securing basic core technologies such as development and test evaluation of main rotor and tail systems, flight dynamics models, and full-body performance/load/structure analysis through the unmanned helicopter technology development project of a standard platform that can be used for multiple purposes. The developed technologies will be applied to unmanned helicopter fields such as surveillance and reconnaissance, communication repeaters, and transportation of supplies, which are expected to increase demand in the civil and military sectors.
KARI is developing a fully electric-powered unmanned helicopter with payload of 20kg for logistics and delivery using eco-friendly urban air mobility. It is developing original technologies such as system integration and design/interpretation, power management system, and battery management system to use batteries instead of conventional fossil fuel. It plans to carry out research on eco-friendly electric energy sources to secure the original technologies needed for using drones for delivery services between islands and cities and expand the delivery capabilities through hybrid engine applications.
For defense, KARI is securing the core technology for the ducted-fan system, which is the core component of the high-speed hybrid rotary-wing aircraft. It is developing the core components of the next-generation high-speed rotary-wing aircraft through the project of developing the high-thrust hybrid ducted-fan system sponsored by DAPA.
05Development of core technology for the low-noise proprotor system for urban aeronautical mobility (UAM)
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Research is also underway on the core technology for low-noise proprotor for personal aerial vehicles (PAV) that can operate in the urban air mobility (UAM) environment. It includes developing low-noise proprotor-type technology, which is essential for the urban operation and localization of parts using ultra-lightweight materials through the development of 64dBA-class low-noise proprotor technology.
The research has the goal of developing a low-noise, lightweight, high-efficiency proprotor (tilt prop and tilt system and lift prop) suitable for the electric propulsion system of a 4- to 5-seater urban mobility vehicle conforming to FAR PART 35 of the aircraft certification technology standard.
In the case of civil-military combined use, research is underway on the core technology of proprotors that can be applied to cargo multicopters (also known as cargo drones). The cargo multicopter applying a hybrid propulsion system consisting of gasoline engine and batteries for a long flight can supply emergency items to disaster areas or remote areas with limited vehicle access. The goal is to develop aircraft with excellent aerodynamic performance and optimal structure that can travel one hour or longer and flight with payloads of up to 40kg.
