Institution profile

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Academic institutionnorthamerica · us
Official website
Research library34linked papers
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Selected work

Representative Papers

Hoverflie: An empirical investigation of rotor shrouds to transform micro air vehicles into multi-modal hovercraft

Aug 06, 2026

This study addresses the limited flight endurance and adverse aerodynamic effects experienced by micro-rotorcraft during low-altitude indoor operations. To overcome these challenges, the authors propose a lightweight, custom-designed shroud that endows the Crazyflie 2.1 platform with dual-mode capability—efficient ground-effect (cushion) flight and conventional free-flight. Leveraging thin-wall thermoforming fabrication, parametric geometric evaluation, empirical force modeling, and automated data collection, the optimized shroud significantly enhances beneficial ground effect while mitigating the detrimental suction effect at intermediate heights. Experimental results demonstrate that the refined configuration achieves nearly a threefold increase in lift within ground effect, extends hover endurance by 60% on a single charge, and incurs only a 30% reduction in free-flight duration. Moreover, the system enables stable transitions between flight modes and accurate trajectory tracking.

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Recent publications

Latest Papers

Hoverflie: An empirical investigation of rotor shrouds to transform micro air vehicles into multi-modal hovercraft

Aug 06, 2026

This study addresses the limited flight endurance and adverse aerodynamic effects experienced by micro-rotorcraft during low-altitude indoor operations. To overcome these challenges, the authors propose a lightweight, custom-designed shroud that endows the Crazyflie 2.1 platform with dual-mode capability—efficient ground-effect (cushion) flight and conventional free-flight. Leveraging thin-wall thermoforming fabrication, parametric geometric evaluation, empirical force modeling, and automated data collection, the optimized shroud significantly enhances beneficial ground effect while mitigating the detrimental suction effect at intermediate heights. Experimental results demonstrate that the refined configuration achieves nearly a threefold increase in lift within ground effect, extends hover endurance by 60% on a single charge, and incurs only a 30% reduction in free-flight duration. Moreover, the system enables stable transitions between flight modes and accurate trajectory tracking.

0 citationsRead paper