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Unmanned Autogyro for Mars Exploration: a Preliminary Study

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Unmanned Autogyro for Mars Exploration: a Preliminary Study drones Article Unmanned Autogyro for Mars Exploration: A Preliminary Study Enrico Petritoli * and Fabio Leccese Dipartimento di Scienze, Università degli Studi “Roma Tre”, Via della Vasca Navale n. 84, 00146 Rome, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +39-06-5733-7347 Abstract: Starting from the Martian environment, we examine all the necessary requirements for a UAV and outline the architecture of a gyroplane optimized for scientific research and support for (future) Mars explorers, highlighting its advantages and criticalities. After a careful trade-off between different vehicles suitable for a typical mission, some parameters are established to optimize the size and performance. In the second part, the project of the Spider gyroplane and the methodology used to balance the longitudinal masses are presented; in the third part, the parameters of the aerodynamic forces acting on the aircraft are highlighted to be able to focus them during the fluid dynamics simulations. Keywords: Mars; UAV; autogyro; gyroplane 1. Introduction “A journey of a thousand [miles] starts with a single step.” (Lao-Tsu) Citation: Petritoli, E.; Leccese, F. Man has always turned his gaze to the sky: while the stars took the shape of the Unmanned Autogyro for Mars constellations and gave rise to myths, the planets soon became the abode of the gods. Their Exploration: A Preliminary Study. movement independent of the Earth’s rotation suggested a completely different nature Drones 2021, 5, 53. https://doi.org/ than the stars: they were soon considered places such as our planet and, therefore, either 10.3390/drones5020053 inhabited or habitable. The first successful landing on another planet was made by the Soviet Venera 7 probe Academic Editors: Diego on Venus on 15 December 1970, while Mars, after a partial landing of Mars 3, was conquered González-Aguilera and only in 1976 by two NASA Viking landers. Only recently, thanks to advances in technology, Pablo Rodriguez-Gonzalvez has it been possible to send the Ingenuity helicopter to wander around the Perseverance Received: 28 April 2021 rover. Now the road to the Martian atmosphere is opened to UAVs: these vehicles allow a Accepted: 17 June 2021 greater panoramic view than a rover while maintaining the possibility of examining, in Published: 18 June 2021 detail and closely, details of Mars that could be of extreme scientific interest. 1.1. State of Exploration of Mars Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in The exploration of planets is currently entrusted to probes and automatic machines published maps and institutional affil- that have the task of leading the way to human colonization. Automatic exploration iations. systems have reached all the inner planets and several outer planets: in the last two decades, the attention has been focused on Mars. The continuous progress of aerospace and electronic technology has put the colonization of the “red planet” among the works of human ingenuity that can be completed in a few years and no longer a science fiction Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. dream. Precursors of this last step are the probes and the rovers: multi-wheel robots that Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. can make simple decisions and perform a series of tests: due to the harsh Martian soil, their This article is an open access article movements are very cautious and, for some activities, dependent on the day-night cycle. distributed under the terms and In Figure1, we can see the tortuous path taken by the Curiosity Mars rover: a journey of a conditions of the Creative Commons few kilometers. Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Drones 2021, 5, 53. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones5020053 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/drones Drones 2021, 5, 53 2 of 18 Figure 1. This map shows the route driven by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover, from the location where it landed in August 2012 to its location in July 2017 (Sol 1750), and its planned path to additional geological layers of lower Mount Sharp (image and caption: © NASA). This type of vehicle is, therefore, very suitable for close-up exploration of the land, as it can capture every detail of the terrain but is unable to have a panoramic view of the landscape. On the other side, there are the observation satellites in Martian orbit: the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (with the HiRISE—High-Resolution Camera—onboard) is in orbit 450 km from the surface; although it is able to map the ground with great precision (HiRISE can produce images from which topography can be calculated to an accuracy of 0.25 m). It is absolutely evident there is a lack of a vehicle that is able to place itself reasonably far from the ground to be able to see a wider horizon but, at the same time, capable of grasping details and, if necessary, overlooking points that could be of extreme interest. Finally, the speed factor is important to quickly reach the points of greatest interest with respect to the point of arrival on the Planet. 1.2. Mission Concept The operating conditions of a possible automatic flying vehicle (UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) on Mars are quite complex and, in some cases, they collide with each other. Mainly they are: • The UAV must be rather simple and robust as it will first have to withstand the stresses due to launch, space flight, entry into the Martian atmosphere, and then, it will have to be deployed as more parts will surely have traveled folded. • The vehicle must be extremely reliable as there is no maintenance required: many electronic systems and all critical mechanical systems must be redundant. • The vehicle has a limited life span thus, it will be necessary to optimize his work to have specific and scheduled tasks. DronesDronesDrones 2021 20212021, 5, ,5 x, 5 xFOR FOR PEER PEER REVIEW REVIEW 3 3of of 19 19 , , 53 3 of 18 •• ItsIts work work is is mainly mainly carried carried out out during during the the day, day, as as it it is is equipped equipped with with solar solar cells cells to to • Its work is mainly carried out during the day, as it is equipped with solar cells to rechargerecharge the the batteries. batteries. It It is is also also equipped equipped with with multispectral multispectral sensors sensors optimized optimized for for recharge the batteries. It is also equipped with multispectral sensors optimized for MartiMartianan light. light. Martian light. •• • TheTheThe vehicle vehicle vehicle is is meant ismeant meant to to work to work work with with with a a rover, arover, rover, which which which,, ,of of ofcourse, course, course, will will will arrive arrive arrive at at atthe the the same same same time.time.time. However, However, However, the the the two two two vehicles vehicles are areare not notnot in in symbiosis:symbiosis: symbiosis: thethe the UAV UAV UAV will will will be be ablebe able able to flyto to fly away fly awayawayfrom from from the the roverthe rover rover even even even for afor for considerable a a considerable considerable distance distance distance and and forand severalfor for several several days. days. days. •• • DronDronDroneseses must must must,, ,therefore therefore therefore,, ,be be beable able able to to store to store store the the the large large large mass mass mass of of scientific of scientific scientific data data data it it is itis intended isintended intended toto collect.to collect. collect. Later Later Later,, ,it it will itwill will reach reach reach the the the rover rover rover and and and will will will download download download the the the data: data: data: it it will itwill will then then then be be bethe the the tasktasktask of of the of the the land land land vehicle vehicle vehicle to to act to act act as as asa a relay. arelay. relay. FromFromFrom these these these first first first considerations considerations considerations,, ,it it can can it be canbe deduced deduced be deduced that that the the that vehicle vehicle the vehicle must must be be must a a fair fair be com- com- a fair promisepromisecompromise between between between gross gross weight grossweight weightand and payload. payload. and payload. 1.3.1.3.1.3. Why Why Why an an anAutogyro Autogyro Autogyro??? AnAnAn autogyro autogyroautogyro (from (from(from Greek Greek Greek α α αὐ ὐτόςτ τόςóV andand and γγ γύρος,ύρ ρoος,V, “self-turning”), ““selfself--turningturning””),), also alsoalso known known known as as as a a gyroplanea gyro- gyro- planeplaneor orgyrocopter or gyrocopter gyrocopter, is, , ais is typea a type type of of rotorcraftof rotorcraft rotorcraft that that that uses uses uses an an an unpowered unpow unpoweredered rotor rotor rotor inin in freefree free autorotationautorotation autorotation to toto developdevelop develop lift liftlift [ [1[11]]..] .Forward Forward thrust thrust thrust is is is provided provided provided independently, independently, independently, usually usually usually by by by an an an engine engine engine-driven-driven-driven propeller.propeller.propeller. While While While like like like a a helicopter ahelicopter helicopter rotor rotor rotor in in appearance, in appearance, appearance, the the the autogyro autogyro autogyro’s’s’ srotor rotor rotor must must must have have have air air air flowingflowingflowing across across across the the the rotor rotor rotor disc disc disc to to togenerate generate generate rotation rotation rotation and and and the the the air air airflows flows flows upwards upwards upwards through through through the the the rotorrotorrotor disc disc disc rather rather rather than than than down down [ [2[22]]..] .These TheseThese types types ofof of flyingflying flying machines machines machines were were were successful successful successful in thein in the 1920sthe 1920s1920sand and and 1930s 1930s 1930s when when when the the performancethe performance performance of fixed-wing of of fixed fixed-wing-wing aircraft aircraft aircraft was was farwas fromfar far from from flattering.
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