Abstract:
Electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft serves as an important carrier for low-altitude economy. As the main power source, the aerodynamic performance of the propeller has a critical impact on the overall performance of eVTOL. Starting from the operational characteristics of eVTOL, this study systematically analyzed the main challenges in its propeller design, including aerodynamic performance across wide-range operating conditions, strong aerodynamic interactions and coupling effects induced by multi-propeller configurations, and stringent low-noise requirements. On this basis, the development history and research progress of existing propeller design methods were reviewed. After comparing the advantages and disadvantages of various methods, an intelligent propeller design framework jointly driven by knowledge and data was proposed, and a propeller design method based on fuzzy theory developed under this framework was elaborated. Finally, three future development trends for low-altitude eVTOL propeller design were outlined: distributed-integrated-cooperative design, multi-disciplinary coupled design considering aerodynamics, structure, noise, and anti-/de-icing, and intelligent design jointly driven by knowledge and data. This study aims to provide a useful reference for developing high-performance, low-noise, and high-reliability eVTOL propellers, thereby contributing to the healthy and sustainable development of the low-altitude economy industry.