Rotorcraft and Propeller Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics: Numerical Approaches and Practical Applications – Online Short Course (Starts 2 Sept 2025) 2 September - 2 October 2025 Online

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Rotorcraft and Propeller Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics











  • From 2 September – 2 October 2025 (5 Weeks, 10 Classes, 20 Total Hours)
  • Every Tuesday and Thursday at  1–3 p.m. Eastern Time (all sessions will be recorded and available for replay; course notes will be available for download)
  • This new unique course focuses on aerodynamics and aeroacoustics for Advanced Air Mobility.
  • All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.

OVERVIEW
This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic phenomena associated with rotorcraft and propeller systems. By integrating theoretical principles, numerical methodologies, and practical applications, the course equips students with the knowledge and tools necessary to predict and analyze the complex aerodynamics and noise characteristics of rotorcraft and propeller blades. The course covers key topics, including momentum theory, blade element momentum theory (BEMT), rotor dynamics and trim, fundamental concepts of aeroacoustics, tonal and broadband noise generation, and propeller-wing interactions. A strong emphasis is placed on hands-on applications, such as executing BEMT and dynamic inflow program, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) best practices, data post-processing for aerodynamic performance evaluation and noise prediction. Additionally, the course explores a variety of noise prediction methodologies, ranging from empirical and semi-empirical approaches to analytical frequency-domain techniques, the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) method, and Amiet’s theory. Short tutorials and demonstrations about these various aeroacoustic prediction tools and program will be provided. By the end of the course, students will have developed a solid foundation in computational methods for analyzing and predicting rotorcraft and propeller aerodynamics and acoustics. They will be well-prepared to apply these techniques to address challenges in real-world engineering scenarios.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Understand the fundamental aerodynamic principles of rotorcraft and propellers, including momentum theory and blade element momentum theory.
  • Analyze the aerodynamic performance of rotorcraft and propellers under different flight conditions, such as hover, axial, and edgewise forward flights.
  • Explore the dynamics of rotor systems, including pitch and flap motions, and implement rotor trim methods for balanced operations.
  • Develop practical skills in CFD setup, simulation, and data analysis for real-world rotorcraft and propeller applications.
  • Grasp the fundamental principles of aeroacoustics, including the mechanisms of sound generation in rotorcraft and propeller systems.
  • Learn fast and low-fidelity frequency-domain approaches for tonal and broadband noise predictions.
  • Utilize the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) method to predict tonal noise in rotorcraft and propeller systems.
  • Predict broadband noise using airfoil self-noise models and blade-wake interaction noise theories.
  • Gain hands-on experiences with using PSU-WOPWOP and UCD-QuietFly for rotorcraft and propeller tonal and broadband noise predictions
  • Analyze aerodynamic and acoustic interactions in propeller-wing configurations and predict their impact on performance.

AUDIENCE
This course is designed for graduate students, early-career engineers, and professionals in the aerospace industry seeking to deepen their understanding of rotorcraft and propeller aerodynamics and aeroacoustics. It is particularly suited for individuals with a foundational knowledge of fluid dynamics and aerodynamics who wish to advance their skills in computational simulations and practical analyses. The course caters to those involved in research or development of rotorcraft, drones, and aircraft propulsion systems, equipping them with the tools to apply advanced computational methods for predicting aerodynamic performance and noise characteristics in real-world applications.

COURSE FEES (Sign-In To Register)
- AIAA Member Price: $995 USD
- Non-Member Price: $1195 USD
- AIAA Student Member Price: $495 USD

Classroom Hours / CEUs: 20 classroom hours, 2.0 CEU/PDH

Cancellation Policy: A refund less a $50.00 cancellation fee will be assessed for all cancellations made in writing prior to 7 days before the start of the event. After that time, no refunds will be provided.

Contact: Please contact Lisa Le or Customer Service if you have questions about the course or group discounts (for 5+ participants).

Frequently Asked Questions

Outline
Class 1: Introduction to Rotorcraft and Propeller Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics
  • Overview of rotorcraft and propeller configurations
  • Historical background and current trends

Class 2: Momentum Theories for Rotor and Propeller Aerodynamics

  • Momentum theory for various flight conditions
  • Propeller fundamentals
  • Applications and limitations of momentum theory

Class 3: Blade Element Theories for Rotor and Propeller Aerodynamics

  • Fundamentals of blade element theory
  • Tip losses and their impact on rotor efficiency
  • Application to propeller aerodynamics and performance
  • Extension to unsteady BEMT and unsteady aerodynamics
  • Practical example: Rotor aerodynamic predictions in hover using BEMT code

Class 4: Rotor Dynamics and Trim

  • Dynamic inflow models
  • Blade motion and dynamics
  • Rotor trim
  • Practical example: Finding trim solutions
  • Practical example: Rotor aerodynamic predictions in edgewise flight using dynamic inflow model

Class 5: CFD Best Practices for Rotor and Propeller Simulations and Data Post-Processing

  • Mesh generation for rotor and propeller blades
  • Numerical schemes and turbulence modeling
  • Thrust, torque, and sectional blade loading analysis
  • Visualization techniques: vorticity, Q-criterion, velocity, and pressure fields
  • Modal analysis
  • Practical example: CFD setup and simulation for a model helicopter and a drone
  • Practical example: Post-processing and data analysis for a model helicopter and a drone

Class 6: Fundamentals of Aeroacoustics

  • Introduction to sound generation mechanisms in rotors and propellers
  • Overview of noise prediction models

Class 7: Low-Fidelity Frequency-Domain Prediction for Noise

  • Analytical and low-fidelity frequency-domain methods for steady and unsteady tonal noise
  • Empirical, semi-empirical, analytical frequency-domain methods for broadband noise
  • Practical example: Drone tonal noise prediction using frequency-domain models for steady and unsteady loading noise using BEMT and BET solutions
  • Practical example: Drone broadband noise prediction using empirical models

Class 8: Acoustic Analogy and Tonal Noise Predictions

  • FW-H acoustic analogy for tonal noise
  • PSU-WOPWOP tutorials
  • Practical example: Tonal noise prediction of a model helicopter using BET code and PSU-WOPWOP

Class 9: Broadband Noise Predictions

  • Airfoil self-noise and blade-wake interaction noise
  • Trailing-edge noise
  • UCD-QuietFly tutorials
  • Practical example: Airfoil trailing-edge noise prediction using Amiet’s theory and Lee’s WPS model
  • Practical example: Broadband noise prediction of a drone rotor using BEMT and UCD-QuietFly

Class 10: Propeller-Wing Interaction Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics

  • Interaction effects on aerodynamics and aeroacoustics
  • CFD and FW-H method for analyzing interactions
  • Amiet’s theory for propeller self-noise predictions
  • Practical example: Propeller-wing interaction noise prediction using CFD, PSU-WOPWOP, and UCD-QuietFly
 
Materials

Course Delivery and Materials

  • The course lectures will be delivered via Zoom. Test your connection here: https://zoom.us/test
  • All sessions will be available on-demand within 1-2 days of the lecture. Once available, you can stream the replay video anytime, 24/7. All slides will be available for download after each lecture.
  • No part of these materials may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted, unless for course participants. All rights reserved.
  • Between lectures, the instructors will be available via email for technical questions and comments.
Instructors

Dr. Seongkyu Lee is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, Davis. He received his PhD in aerospace engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 2009, with a minor in acoustics. Following a one-year postdoctoral position at Penn State, he worked at General Electric (GE) Global Research Center in Niskayuna, New York for five years, where he was a Lead Mechanical Engineer and Advanced Design Tool Program Manager. In 2015, he joined UC Davis as an Assistant Professor and then was promoted to an Associate Professor in 2020 and a full Professor in 2023.

Professor Lee is an internationally recognized expert in rotorcraft computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and aeroacoustics, turbulent boundary-layer flows, trailing-edge noise, wind turbine aerodynamics and acoustics, and theoretical and computational aeroacoustics. He has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed papers. He is especially recognized for his work on the development of the UCD-QuietFly, a computer code used for predicting rotorcraft broadband noise. This software has gained wide recognition and adoption in both academic and industrial settings. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, the US Army, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Hyundai Motor Company, Supernal, the Hellman Foundation, the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), and UC Davis. He has provided consulting services to several rotorcraft, eVTOL, and aerospace companies and government agencies.

Professor Lee’s numerous awards and honors include the Summer Fellow of the Center for Turbulence Research Summer Program at Stanford (2022), AIAA Associate Fellow (2022), the Graduate Program Advising and Mentoring Award at UC Davis (2021), the Best Paper Award at the Vertical Flight Society (VFS) Annual Forum (2021), the Hellman Fellowship (2018), the Vertical Flight Foundation Scholarship (2009), and the Graduate Study Abroad Scholarship of Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) (2004). He served as the Technical Discipline Chair of AIAA SciTech in Aeroacoustics in 2023, and he was the VFS Acoustics Session Chair in 2022. He is a member of the AIAA Aeroacoustics Technical Committee and the VFS Acoustics Technical Committee.

 

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