Conceptual design of a tilt-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle for Mars exploration

Measurements of Martian magnetic field, atmosphere and sampling are core missions of Martian exploration. Since the successful demonstration of the Ingenuity Helicopter, a large amount of researches have emerged on Mars rotor-craft. However, Mars rotor-crafts have short endurance and limited detection range. This paper proposes a solar-powered tilt-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) named Archaeopteryx-I, which can perform vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and long-endurance level flight. Its general concepts are first elucidated. Then, a multidisciplinary modeling and optimization method is proposed. Considering the harsh magnetic field and atmospheric environment of Mars, the detailed designation of mission system is carried out to further enhance the performance of Archaeopteryx-I, including avionics, energy flow, control system and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) design. Finally, the conceptual design scheme is validated through simulation and ground testing. The results illustrate the efficaciousness and applicability of Archaeopteryx-I for Mars exploration.