Active Controls for a Smooth Ride on Air Taxis in Urban Environments

Sudden gusts of wind can occur in cities such as Chicago, Illinois. Air taxis, when operating under such weather, can undergo oscillations that can lead to vehicle crashes. This simulation snapshot captures the moment when the right wing is moving down due to Dutch-Roll oscillation and the lifting propellers are activated to counter the downward motion. Surface pressure contours are colored by pressure coefficients (red is positive, blue is negative), with Mach number contours (red is high) around active propellers, field Mach numbers (in black and white, ranging from 0 to 0.25, respectively, in zebra scaling) during oscillations. Active propellers subsequently suppress oscillations.

Image Credit: NASA/Ames, Guru Guruswamy