Electric Field Characteristics and an Electrostatic Detection Method for Small UAVs Based on Triboelectric Charging
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The widespread use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has increased the need for reliable short-range detection in complex environments. Interactions between the vehicle surface, air, and suspended particles can accumulate charge and generate an electrostatic field, providing a passive signature independent of external radiation. This study develops a quantitative triboelectric charging model based on kinetic gas theory. A shielded high-speed airflow impact experiment estimated an equivalent charge-transfer parameter for the tested carbon-fiber composite and airflow, with an adjusted coefficient of determination (adjusted R2) of 0.967. Flow-field, dilute gas–solid two-phase, and multiphysics electrostatic simulations were then used to determine surface charging and near-field characteristics. Flight encounter tests employed an induced-current electrostatic detector and a MEMS electric-field sensor. At 30 m/s, the simplified model predicted a total charge on the order of 10−7 C and a 3.8% variation from 0° to 20° angle of attack. The maximum electric-field strength along the nominal 10 m encounter trajectory was 415 V/m. After filtering and temporal alignment, the measured and simulated electric-field rates of change had an adjusted R2 of 0.980 for the selected encounter, while the MEMS measurements yielded a shape-consistency coefficient of 0.937. The encounter measurements provide preliminary support for the predicted response trend under the tested conditions and a quantitative framework for analyzing the electrostatic near-field signatures and passive detection of small UAVs. The method may serve as a complementary means of short-range UAV detection.
Source: Sensors
DOI: 10.3390/s26217055
Authors: Xinran Liu, Zhiyong Zhang, Manyu Wang, Pengfei Li
Institution: Beijing Institute of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Aerospace Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W7225630758