Research

Current & Recent Programs

VLRCOE 

Team: University of Maryland; University of Texas, Austin; Texas A&M; U.S. Naval Academy

DARPA—FLIGHT-MAV: Flow Learning for Informed Geometry of Hovering Technologies in Micro Air Vehicles

Team: University of Maryland; University of Michigan; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)

1. Low Reynolds number Rotor Rig Experiments
2. Machine Learning for Macroscale Design-Principle Discovery
3. Rotor System Optimization/Design

United Therapeutics—Revolutionary Advancements towards H2-Powered Manned All-Electric Rotorcraft for Organ Delivery 

Team: University of Maryland and United Bioelectronics

1. Advanced modeling and validation of a helicopter hybrid fuel cell system 
2. Fundamental understanding, modeling, and flight test validation of gaseous and liquid hydrogen helicopter 

KARI—Development of High Performance Low Vibration Lift Prop System for a 5-seat eVTOL 

Team: University of Maryland; Korea Aerospace Research Institute; Korea Aerospace Industries

1. Fundamental aerodynamics and CFD/AI-based design of a lift prop 
2. Fundamental loads and vibration of a lift prop on a flexible support 

Boeing Rotorcraft Research 

Team: University of Maryland and Boeing Philadelphia

1. Exascale integrated-3D simulation and Mach-scale hover and wind-tunnel tests of double anhedral rotors 
2. High-speed hingeless compound rotor interactions 

U.S. Navy, NAWCAD-NAVAIR

1. Autonomous shipboard landing
2. Mitigation of Tiltrotor Whirl-Flutter through Pylon CG Placement
3. Swept-tip Composite Blades for High-Speed Tiltrotors

NASA 

Team: University of Maryland and NASA Ames Research Center

1. Three-dimensional Aeroelastic Behavior of Mars Rotors
2. Fuel cell model for rotorcraft conceptual design

Major Past Programs

The AGRC has led many multi-year national programs on inter-disciplinary science and technology barriers of vertical lift. 

The major programs are listed below. For past VLRCOE programs see VLRCOE.