Control strategies of a reluctance motor drive for urban air mobility

In recent years, the pursuit of higher efficiency in electric machines has intensified, with significant advancements in energy performance, mechanical design, and control methodologies. Among the technologies addressing these demands are three phase synchronous reluctance machines (SynRMs). Owing to the absence of permanent magnets in their rotor structure, SynRMs offer notable advantages in terms of performance, cost, and environmental sustainability. SynRMs are increasingly being considered for applications in Urban Air Mobility (UAM). In this context, electric vertical take off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) are envisioned to operate within urban environments to transport passengers or payloads across various routes, representing a promising, sustainable, and efficient transportation solution for the future. This paper provides an overview of UAM and presents representative examples of eVTOL concepts. It then introduces the operating principles and key characteristics of reluctance machines, followed by an analysis of different control strategies for SynRMs. The study first examines a linear machine model and subsequently a nonlinear model, enabling the simulation of realistic UAM operating conditions under both nominal performance scenarios and emergency situations.