Propeller Propulsor

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Blade element theory thrust calculation. Fixed or variable pitch (constant-speed).

Configuration

Blade Geometry

  • bladeCount - Blade count (more = higher thrust/drag)
  • bladeWidth - Blade chord (m)
  • airfoilProfile - Blade lift/drag characteristics

Pitch Control

  • pitchAngle - Blade pitch (degrees)
  • minPitch - Min pitch (5-15° typical)
  • maxPitch - Max pitch (45-60° typical)
  • variablePropPitch - Enable for constant-speed
  • autoPropPitch - Auto pitch control for target RPM
  • targetPropRPM - Target RPM for constant-speed (e.g., 2100)
  • pitchInputBinding - Manual pitch input (None, PropPitch, Rudder)
  • feather - Feather blades (90°) to minimize drag

Performance Tuning

  • thrustCoefficient - Thrust multiplier
  • dragCoefficient - Drag multiplier
  • peakEfficiency - Max efficiency (0-1, typical: 0.75-0.85)

Operation

Thrust is calculated based on pitch angle, RPM, velocity, density, and airfoil characteristics.

Constant-speed mode: Auto-adjusts pitch to maintain targetPropRPM. Manual pitch: Via pitchInputBinding when autoPropPitch disabled. Windmilling: Reduces thrust when propeller driven by airflow.