Design space exploration in aircraft conceptual design phase based on system-of-systems simulation

Abstract

Design space exploration has been much neglected in aircraft conceptual design phase, which often leads to a waste of time and cost in design, manufacture and operation process. It is necessary to explore design space based on operational systemof-systems (SoS) simulation during the early phase for a competitive design. Tis paper proposes a methodology to analyze aircraft performance parameters in four steps: combination of parameters, object analysis, operational simulation, and keyparameters analysis. Meanwhile, the design space of an unmanned aerial vehicle applied in earthquake search and rescue SoS is explored based on this methodology. Te results show that applying SoS simulation into design phase has important reference value for designers on aircraft conceptual design.