The paper presents the results of gyrocopter fuselage experiment testing in a wind tunnel. The model subjected to testing was made in 1:8 scale by 3D printing. The tests included the measurement of forces and aerodynamic moments acting on the ...

This paper presents an analysis of the strength of a prototype test rig for?testing rotors of unmanned aerial vehicles. Digital design software was used?for the design work that covered the creation of a virtual model of the test?rig and stren...

This paper focuses on the vibration analysis of a prototype helicopter rotor test stand, with particular attention to the dynamic response of its electric propulsion system. The stand is driven by an induction motor and equipped with composite rotor blades of various geometries, including blades with shape memory alloy (SMA)-based torsion actuators for angle of attack (AoA) adjustment. These variable geometries significantly influence the system’s dynamic behavior, where resonance phenomena may pose risks to structural integrity. The objective was to investigate how selected operational parameters specifically motor speed and AoA affect the vibration response of the propulsion system. Structural vibrations were measured using a tri-axial piezoelectric accelerometer system integrated with calibrated signal conditioning and high-resolution data acquisition modules. This setup enabled precise, time-synchronized recording of dynamic responses along all three axes. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Power Spectral Density (PSD) methods were applied to identify dominant frequency components, including those associated with rotor harmonics and SMA activation. The highest vibration amplitudes were observed at an AoA of 16°, but all results remained within the vibration limits defined by MIL-STD-810H for rotorcraft drive systems. The study confirms the importance of sensor-based diagnostics in evaluating electromechanical propulsion systems operating under dynamic loading conditions.

In Poland, as in the global energy market, the popularity of renewable energy sources, whose main advantage over fossil fuels is climate neutrality, is growing. An alternative to dedicating land exclusively to renewable energy is agrivoltaics, which involves dual use of land: for agricultural production and for photovoltaic installations that convert solar energy into usable energy simultaneously. The study's main purpose was to answer two questions: to what extent are the agricultural lands of eastern Poland suitable for the development of agrivoltaics, and how does the selection of criteria affect the final result of the analysis in light of the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The study area was the Lublin Voivodeship, whose potential was evaluated based on 8 orography and land use criteria. The study focuses on spatial conditions, whereas legal and economic conditions have not been considered. The analysis showed that implementing agrivoltaics is theoretically feasible on 79% of the Voivodeship’s total agricultural land, of which 9,961 km2 can be considered at least moderately highly suitable. Additionally, two alternative scenarios were analysed: in the first, only orography criteria were assessed, and in the second, only land use. The comparative analysis revealed that the choice of criteria significantly impacts the results. The highest area suitability was obtained in the assessment considering land use only, and the lowest for orography.

The article presents a preliminary study of a toroidal propeller driven using air ion mechanics. The key component of the propulsion system is high-voltage electrodes that take the form of a small-diameter wire. The propeller uses a cylinder-airfoil electrode arrangement. The emitter electrodes are cylindrical in shape. An inverted approach involves the use of additional NACA 0024 airfoil-shaped blades in the toroidal propeller acting as a collector electrode. In the course of the study, two-dimensional EAD simulations of a single propeller section were prepared and the physical model was subjected to experimental tests. The results so far show a maximum rotational velocity of the toroidal propeller of 150 rpm at 20 kV. The maximum electrical power reached 1.38 W.