2011 10th International Conference on Machine Learning and Applications

Energy Efficiency for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Balemir Uragun
Avionics, Electrical & Software Engineering Department
Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc.
Ankara, Turkey
b.uragun@hotmail.com
Abstract This paper emphasizes the energy efficiency
issue for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The power
requirement for an UAV system was modeled with the aid
of energy requiring from all possible sub-systems. In this
model, a single UAV system was broken down by the six
power consumption components. The scientific research
areas and emerging technologies assisted UAV design
stages involved in the mainly six-part load components;
those are (1) Control, (2) Data processing, (3)
Communication, (4) Payloads, including sensors with
actuators, (5) External Loads as system perturbation, and
(6) System Dynamicity with a performance criteria.
.

weight from take off to landing; any extra weights to

the UAV require for an additional power.

3) In the presence of any external unexpected

disturbances, such as strong gusts or any other
excessive weather conditions sometimes adversely
effects the fly paths or the stabilities of the air
vehicle which may cause more power consumptions
than as planned,
4) In terms of undesired weather condition; the icing on
the wings or too much heat on the engine which may
have also negative effects on UAVs performances
and of those extreme cases also call for extra powers,

Keywords - Energy efficiency, system model and UAV

I.

5) There are some aviation safety regulations [1] in

some countries that may indirectly impact on the
power consumption of the UAV systems; these
safety standards are complied for the control,
command and communications of the UAV systems,

FACTORS AFFECTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN

UAVS

The total power requirement of an UAV (Unmanned

Aerial Vehicle) is not the same as the total power
consumption of the UAV. The conceptual difference
between consumption and requirement of powers is in
the UAVs energy efficiency issue. The energy efficient
system depends on its sub-units: if the total power
requirement of the vehicle matches the total power
consumptions of the vehicles sub-units than vehicle is
so-called as energy efficient. In fact, the calculation of
power requirement of UAV is based on its plant
model, when there is no physical vehicle developed yet.
On the other hand, the power consumption of the UAV
can only be realized after the preliminary testing of the
prototype. Naturally, there is always a quantitative
value difference between requirement and consumption
of powers for the vehicle and this value is caused by the
product factual and fictitious development. This paper
introduces the methodological approach to fill the gap
between theory and practice for an energy efficient
UAV.

The total power requirements in UAV system also

define the system capabilities. The capabilities of such
system help us to classify the UAVs [2]. The
classifications are based on:
A travelling distance is important that UAV assured
within the communication window for the ground
control,
An endurance determines the duration of mission, and
A maximum flight altitude and maximum take-off
weight, and maximum speed.

In our time, the increasing numbers of UAVs are

becoming hazardous for same air spaces where manned
air vehicles operational zones located. As the aviation
safety has always been an important issue for all of us,
therefore; several countries have already start forcing up
some restrict rules, regulations and safety standards to
prevent any accidents, such as mid air collision, or early
fly termination, or abnormal system mobility [3]. In
terms of aviation safety, operation times of UAVs that
should be well considered; for example, the operation
times of UAVs are 10 times higher than manned air
vehicles. In one approach to this problem, perhaps, the
kinetic energy levels of UAVs at the impact should be
considered as one of the safety factors issue [4]. This
level of safety only brings up certain restrictions that are
mainly considered to be aircrafts weight, size and the
maximum operating altitude which are also related to the
aircrafts power requirements. Beyond the air-safety, for
example FAA enforces to reduce the energy
consumption for the aircrafts 33% less fuel within the

The power requirement of the UAVs began

calculating by their mission which guidelines the
capabilities of the vehicle. Concurrently, it is required to
select sizes of the vehicle, which dictates the weight of
the UAV. Besides, given few examples to emphasize the
importance of energy efficiency in the UAVs:
1) UAVs are designed for specific roles (e.g. tactical or
strategical), these roles and the duration of their
performance are both based on their power needs.
2) The power requirement of an UAV is not solely
based only for its mission accomplishment; the
vehicle is also required to carry own its entire body

978-0-7695-4607-0/11 $26.00 2011 IEEE

DOI 10.1109/ICMLA.2011.159

316

noise and emissions technology development

programme [5]. NASA also sets their future energy
efficient aircraft expectations mainly by three
components: (1) to reduce engine noise levels by 6dB,
(2) to reducing emissions by 70%, and (3) to improve
fuel consumption by 15% [6].
Another power requirement of UAVs can be utilized to
avoid obstacles (i.e. power lines, birds, etc) may require
additional sensor or allow controller to see such barriers.
These types of avoidance sensors are called see-andavoid or sense-and-avoid may be linked for the energy
consumption through the UAVs performance [3].

increases the mass of the aircraft where Reynolds

number increases as well as the wing-span. However
very small aerial vehicles motions (propulsion system)
are usually based on their flapping wings compare to
the rotary and fixed wings. That puts things in a
different perspectives; an unchanged functionality of
these flapping wings is the reason for the energy
efficiency [12]. In terms of energy (only propulsive, not
gliding) efficiency, another example in nature is the
power consumption of 100 mg flapping wing house-fly
barely consumes 3 joules/second in motion [13].
Besides, the other advantages of flapping wing aerial
vehicles are; better maneuverability, having higher
Angle of Attack, hovering capability, agility to avoid
the obstacles, upright landing and takeoff when
necessary and stealth. The flapping wing small UAVs
would be very light and would also carry some small
amount of payloads for their mission. There are several
tasks can be arranged to give a single small UAV unit
as well single mission can be shared among many
others. One of the known operational fulfillments for
small UAVs is the ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance) in a small indoor area, or a confined
space.

In addition to design feature of the UAVs, there are two

design parameters of Aircraft important which dictates
the power requirement of the vehicle; (1) Range (based
on the lift to drag ratio with fuel efficiency coefficient),
and (2) weight (based on overall mass, including any
payloads) [7]. The weight of the airframe comes from
the wings (pylon, flaps, and ailerons), fuselage,
empennage, and nacelle. The propulsion system consists
of engine and fuel, which are additional weight onto the
airframes. Avionics and control systems are considered
to be inside the fuselage [7]. These days, few good
aircraft simulation software packages are available
(i.e. CFD -computational fluid dynamics - tool) which
helps to develop the energy efficient aircraft design [8].
Some of the US engine makers also trying to improve
15% more fuel-efficient turbofans [5]. In terms of
aerodynamic surface structure of the aerial vehicles,
active flow control is the way of handling unwanted
noise and vibrations that improve the performance with
lower power consumption [8]. Sometimes unwanted
vibration can be utilized to produce a small energy that
is called energy harvesting and it is good for powering
up some remotely located (i.e. tip of the aircrafts wings)
sensors [9]. Another energy efficiency point is the
communication between ground station and air-borne
UAV. The distance between these two units is
proportional to the power consumption of the system, if
the distance increases between ground control and UAV
than energy requirements will increases relatively. This
is necessary for the communication system; especially it
is important for data downloading or receiving
information from the sensors (i.e., cameras). On the
other hand, there are some powers saving techniques
that can be considered to be applied to decrease the
power consumption of the UAV, such as beam-forming
strategy in the data link for the UAV communication
system [10].
II.

III.

ENERGY EFFICIENT COMPONENTS

In order to design such small or large a UAV unit, this

paper can be applied for both of them to use the design
methodology. The energy efficient design criteria with
six power consumption components are shown in
Figure 1. The UAV system model can be explored in
two ways: A scientific and the application of science
by means of engineering works in related technologies.
1)
Components
Some of the UAVs sub-systems are more important in
terms of power consumptions; These UAV physical
components can be grouped under the five research
areas. These five research areas are predominantly
selected for the recent advances in the UAV design
field.
For example, wing geometry of UAVs
component should be tested to find out best energy
efficiency wing shape. The result from the research
areas (exemplified in Figure 1) would be able to help us
to finalize the energy efficient design criteria. In a
similar manner, other research areas can be investigated
with a same methodology.
2)
Technologies
UAV is a technology-dependent product that the
technical specialist should be aware of any advances in
related technologies, emerging-technologies. The
people who are specialist and involved in these
scientific disciplines are the ones, who are also capable
of; (i) supervising application specific design (e.g. what
are the requirements for multiple UAV designs), and
(ii) knowing exclusively specific soft/ hard ware
design packages to assist towards the end of the product
development life cycle.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR SMALL AERIAL

VEHICLES

The energy efficiency for small aerial vehicles is

slightly different than larger UAVs. The size of the
aircraft and its power requirements vary by their sizes;
The Reynolds number of aerial vehicles proportionally
to the aircrafts mass, and other parameter is the wing
span of the aircraft which is based on the payloads
weight [11]. Increasing payloads of the vehicle also

317

The energy efficiency factor can be analyzed as a power

consumption of the UAV unit with six sub-units or
components. The result of these six component analyses
is not a requirement for the product development but
easy and more systematical approach as design criteria:

Measurement Units, Inertial Navigation System, Global

Positioning System, pressure/ humidity/ temperature
sensors, rotational/ acceleration sensors, Electro-Optic/
Infra-Red, microphones, electronic nose, biologicalagent/ chemical sensors and others similar sensors. In
recent studies of junctionless transistor show that it
may save 20 folds in space and 30% more energy
efficient than current transistors in the market [17].
Some of the sensors and Integrated Circuits can be
packed together as on board-system (i.e. MEMS: Micro
Electro-Mechanical Systems). In the selection of
payloads, their weight, size and power consumption are
important. To accomplish complex tasks, the payloads
can be distributed among several aerial vehicles and
they work as a swarm. Generally, each individual aerial
vehicle is specialized in one specific task to complete
their mission.

a) Controller Unit
The power consumption of the controller unit in aerial
vehicles cannot be compromised due to its crucial role.
For example, the power consumption of onboard
computational-power has to be considered especially
for the sensors like GPS or collision avoidance opticflow detectors. These sensors are part of the onboard
controller units and they consume a little bit of energy
because of their power requirements. On the other hand
these devices also helps UAV to save some energy,
ideally selects shortest fly-path to travels through the
obstacles [14, 15].

e) External and Internal Loads

The loads are referred as the power required
components in the system. The loads can be a
mechanical or an electrical. In UAVs, there are some
internal loads; for example of moving mechanical parts
in the propulsion system, as parts in motions where the
friction is a load. Small electrical powered motor and
other electronic parts have also some losses due to their
operating temperatures. If there is excessive heat
generated because of the environmental conditions too
hot then it puts extra burden on board electronic
components. Besides, external loads which affects the
UAV systems; such as adversary weather conditions,
i.e. gust, dust, humidity, or heat.

b) Data Processing
The energy consumption of the data processor devices
depends on their usage; how often do they use in realtime, and what would be the frequency band for data
transfers. Beside these dependent parameters, another
issue is how often the processor needs to be accessed
and how much data can be handled in real time and what
would be total memory to buffer before up-linking for
the ground control. There is also thermal issue of the
microprocessor which most of the losses needs to be
considered. It may be a good idea to inquire less power
computing more sensors equipped of aerial vehicles can
be designed. This remark was published by Zbikowski
[13 112] who compares the flight abilities of housefly to
fighter jet noted this suggestion.
c) Communication
The communication between the ground and aerial
vehicle is the way of a data-link establishment; a
command control, data transfers or updating
information. If the distance is increases than power
requirements increases by the transmitter unit. In a
digital communication world, a high frequency data
transfer depends on the maximum distances. This
communication frequency band is important, higher the
frequency can handle more data-bits within to transmit,
and on the other hand higher the frequency causes more
power to be spent. Best way is the optimization
technique; it needs to be found a maximum operating
range and frequency band for the data-transfer to be used
in UAV.
d) Payloads
The payloads are essential components for aerial
vehicles, because overall entire mission depends on
their payloads. In another words, the mission
accomplishment is reluctant to the aerial vehicles task
orientated equipments. For example, Hermans
mentioned important issues of micro UAVs, with some
necessary on board equipments [16]. This example can
be extended with few more sensors and some possible
payloads. Those can be: a smaller electronic devices
such as in navigation stability - maneuverability,
autopilot/ Flight Management System, Inertial

f) System performance
The mission of the aerial vehicles also depends on the
system overall performance. An expectation from the
system and the accomplishments are both characterized
by the vehicles performance. The performance can be
measured in the product development cycle which
involves number of test procedures to validate the
prototyping. In next stage of the cycle is to verify the
requirements if it is agree to the result of the product
performance, Figure 1. The dynamicity of UAV system
is nonlinear; because of the external and internal loads
are both vary in time.
IV. SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION
In this manuscript, several important issues considered
that may improve the energy efficiency of the UAV
system especially; small UAVs power consumption
components are examined in six ways, Figure 1, and
energy efficiency emphasized in this model for:
(i) The sub-units of an aerial vehicle are under-grouped in
the UAV technologies in five research areas; Physical
and Material structures, Energy source with power
consumptions, Electronics and Control System,
(ii) Technologies involved scientific disciplines in the
design of UAV as well as in the application of the
group of UAV; this may reflects to the technological

318

advances of the UAV product, whether it needs to be

tailored for customers or a generic product is sufficient,
(iii) The design criterion breaks down six components that
are directly effects the power consumptions of the UAV
design. In the design criteria factor, energy efficient
UAV design can be developed conceptually. For
example, the selection of the battery as a power source
for UAV can be researched in new technologies, if the
battery is too heavy with a short life time than it can be
replaced by a lighter with a better ones,
(iv) A product development procedure is widely practiced in
many different electronic products that terminate with
end of product cycle. The product development
method involves in between simulation and prototyping
iterations by validating, verifying and testing steps to
compare the system requirements.

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In lately, The numbers of small and large unmanned

aerial vehicles are constantly increasing, and numbers
of passenger airplanes are also increasing due to the
number rises in the passenger enplanements; it means
that expended energy requirement is also get increased.
If there is too many air vehicles in the air than it is not
only energy concern, it is also environmental pollution
issue needs to be considered, such as, noise, or
excessive emissions [18]. The actively shaping flexible
devices of an aircraft duration of flight via such control
elements creates aero-elastic interactions, which can be
much more power and energy efficient control
interactions for the system [8]. Even looking for a
future aircraft energy efficient issue, using the
hydrogen-fueled systems may be a good solution [6].
As a future work; increase the thermal efficiency of the
aircrafts engine up to 80%, comparing todays 55%
fuel-to-mechanical conversion efficiency. This work
can be considered for large UAVs novel engines
development, which also improves the noise and fuel
consumption of the aircraft indirectly [5]. Energy
efficient for the air vehicles should not be limited only
for ground control or vehicles in air; calculating shortest
flying path for passenger aircrafts also saves the fuel
consumptions as well [19]. Another approach fuel
saving fly-path is to using fuzzy logic controller
technique duration of UAVs cruise speed [20, 21].
V.

CONCLUSION

The design features of the UAVs can drastically be

improved by many ways that saves the considerable
amount of energy consumptions. Machine Learning
Systems is the one of way to selecting the conceptual
design methodology for UAV product to be introduced.
In this design methodology which shows the
systematical approach of the technology as an
application of many different disciplines in science.
Moreover, energy efficient UAV system can only be
improved by more energy efficient components in the
emerging technologies, including the conceptual
product developments.

319

320
=

VERIFIED

ENERGY EFFICIENT
DESIGN CRITERIA

PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

(6) SYSTEM DYNAMICITY

- Self assessment: Health monitoring, energy harvesting
- Stabilization: Full system aircraft stabilization and situation awareness, self adjustments (e.g. autopilot)
- Electrical: Source & Loads (Power consumption and density of battery, & electrical motor or other propulsion systems)
- Electronics: Hardware components (e.g. IC like FPGA, RAM, or build in sensors within MEMS devices)
- Losses: Thermal, Mechanical, Electro Magnetic

TAI, Inc.

(5) EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL LOADS

- External: Indirectly related (e.g. Gust against to fly direction, EMI, dust, high in heat or in humidity, radioactive radiation, and etc.)
- Internal: Component related losses (e.g. heat dissipation, electro-magnetic, mechanical frictions)

(4) PAYLOADS, SENSORS AND ACTUATORS

- Essential control components: Sensors (e.g. collect information from redundant sensors for data fusion) to be powered up or
Actuators (e.g. servos for control surfaces, throttle for a speed, etc.) to be activated
- Structural Design: Overall Body (Weight with allowable payloads + Size with wingspan, length, height and wing geometry +
Aerodynamic parameters With Load, Lift/Drag ratio, Lift coefficient, Reynolds number, Performance, Angle of Attack, thrust +
Kinematics With flapping wing frequency, dynamic mechanism, wing deformation, Aero-Elastic)
- Material Selection: Overall Body (e.g. titanium-alloy metal, poly-monochloropara-xylelene)
- Payloads: Mission related sensors (e.g. camera, Inertial Measurement Units, Inertial Navigation System, Global Positioning System,
Electro-Optic, Infra-Red, microphones, electronic nose, biological-agent, chemicals and others)

(3) COMMUNICATION
- Autonomous: Ground Control (e.g. Data-link, Rely information to ground or among other units)
- As inquired: Emergency situation (necessary adjustments, critical decision, mission interruption)

(2) DATA PROCESSING

- Command Control Unit: Trafficking Data transfers (e.g. Networking, protocols, priorities, etc.)
- Data Fusion: To receive information from -system- sensors (i.e. speed, altitude, temperature, pressure, tilt, etc.)
- Data Processing protocol: Data Analysis (e.g. Amount, speed, bandwidth requirements for optimization) & Synthesis

(1) CONTROLLER
- Exceptional circumstances: Adversary weather/ environment condition (e.g. icing on wings), with situation assessment
- Routine tasks: Energy saver, remote access (up/ down link), Autonomous landing/ take off, Autopilot, flight management
- Communication requirements: Coordination of multiple units (i.e. swarming) within the mission control

Power Consumption Components which effect on design criteria

- CONTROL SYSTEMS
(in Power, Communication, Process, Body, constant Stability)

- ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
(Software and hardware development in ASIC products brain)

- POWER SOURCE & LOADS

(Propulsion system, Efficient Motor selection, Micro-sensors)

- MATERIALS (IN TEST) SELECTION

(Parts in motion, materials in deformation, weight versus strength)

- PHYSICAL STRUCTURE
(Body-frame, Wing-geometry, Payloads, Mechanical & Electronic parts)

Figure 1. The Energy Efficient UAV system model has two important issues that need to be considered together: (a)
Emerging technologies may help to reduce the power consumptions of the system. This is the engineering aspect in
relation to UAV design. (b) The research areas, which are tapping into most power acquired components in the UAVs.
This is the scientific aspects of the model.

VALID

TESTING

VALIDATE

INVALID

CUSTOM
DESIGN

APPLICATION
SPECIFIC DESIGN

UAV IN GROUP
(for example)
- Networking
- Communication
- Data xfer
- Mission control

SINGLE OR
MULTIPLE UAV

PROCEDURES

SEGMENTED (physical)

IN THE USE OF

Technology
Assisted
Product for

END OF PRODUCT CYCLE

PROTOTYPING

SIMULATION

Energy Efficient UAV Development

USING TECHNOLOGY ASSISTED

DESIGN PACKAGES
(e.g: CAD - CFD, FPGA, VHDL)

PROPULSION/ THERMAL
MATERIALS/ STRUCTURES
FUEL TECHNOLOGY
ELECTRONICS, HARD/
SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL, WIRING & RF
ELECTROMECHANICAL,
ACTUATORS & SENSORS
MECHANICAL, KINEMATICS,
AERODYNAMIC
MAINTENANCE

INVOLVED IN

TECHNOLOGIES MAY HELP

TO REDUCE POWER
CONSUMPTIONS

MOST POWER
REQUIRED
COMPONENTS

UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

ENERGY EFFICIENT SYSTEM MODEL

RESEARCH AREAS