Overview

HYDRA is an all-in-one Python framework that brings together rotorcraft sizing and the following “higher-fidelity” analyses

  • Rotorcraft comprehensive analysis,
  • Free wake,
  • Airframe analysis,
  • Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEMT) and
  • Blade cross-sectional stress analysis

Features

  • Basic sizing implemented in Python
  • Computationally expensive segments (BEMT sweep, FEA) implemented in Fortran, wrapped with Python (f90wrap)
  • Generates around 320 converged designs per second(serial)
  • Integration with MPI4PY will be available soon….

Credits

HYDRA is primarily developed at the Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland. We are grateful to ARL for the support.

Citing HYDRA

You may use one of the following articles to formally refer to HYDRA: Mention papers below

  • Sridharan, A., Govindarajan, B., Nagaraj, V. T., and Chopra, I., “Design Considerations of a Lift-Offset Single Main Rotor Compound Helicopter,” Aeromechanics Design for Vertical Lift, San Francisco, CA, January, 20 – 22, 2016
  • Sridharan, A., Govindarajan, B., Nagaraj, V. T., and Chopra, I., “Toward Coupling of Comprehensive Analysis into Design Sizing of a High-Speed Asymmetric Compound Helicopter,” 42nd European Rotorcraft forum, Lille, France, September 5–7, 2016

History

Can write how it all started…The majority of the contributions to HYDRA are from Ananth Sridharan and Bharath Govindarajan.

Support

If you have any questions or are running into any difficulties with HYDRA, please email your questions to bharat@umd.edu, ananth@umd.edu