ImAFUSA presents jointly two papers at the 30th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference

Our partner, the University of Salford (USAL) made an insightful participation at the 30th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference in Rome, held from June 4-7 at Università degli Studi Roma (TRE). Supported by our SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking ImAFUSA Project, the Horizon Europe RefMap Project, and the UKRI-EPSRC DroneNoise Project, their research was encapsulated in two innovative papers, that you can read below.

Synthesis and Auralisations of Quadcopter Flyovers for Psychoacoustic Assessment

This paper introduces a method to generate realistic sounds of quadcopters flying overhead, using recordings of hovering drones. The goal is to accurately control the noise changes caused by the rotor blades and the operative unsteadiness during flight conditions. By processing the generated sounds to simulate drone flyovers through the air, it creates a realistic scenario of a quadcopter moving along a specified path. The technique was validated by comparing these synthesized sounds with real drone flight recordings, using various sound quality metrics. This method is valuable for studying the time-varying characteristics of the sound generated by a drone and its effect on the perceived annoyance of the receiver.

You can read the publication here: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2024-3272

Acoustic and Psychoacoustic Characterisation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems as a Function of Vehicle Mass and Flight Procedure

This paper examines the sound characteristics (such as amplitude, frequency, and directivity) and perceived sound quality of UAS with different weights during flyover, landing, and take-off. Key findings reveal that heavier UAS generates more noise in a predictable manner and that the sound is rough and more impulsive during take-off and landing, explaining why these flight phases are more annoying. These insights are crucial for classifying UAS types and developing a noise mapping model for UAS.

The methodologies and results presented at the conference contribute to the creation of tools aimed at improving air traffic management while reducing the environmental acoustic impact of drones on communities and wildlife.

You can read the publication here: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2024-3235

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