Research Status of Special Cables for Low-Altitude Aircraft

With rapid development of the low-altitude economy, low-altitude aircraft such as unmanned aerial vehicles and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft are widely applied in many fields. As a key component of aircraft power transmission and signal communication, performance of special cables directly affects operation safety and work efficiency of equipment. In this paper, combined with development background of the low-altitude economic industry, complex environmental characteristics of low-altitude airspace and operating conditions of low-altitude aircraft were analyzed. Core performance requirements of special cables for low-altitude aircraft, such as temperature and water resistance, photo-oxidative aging resistance, electromagnetic interference resistance, strong mechanical properties, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and lightweight, were clarified. Differences and respective standards between special cables for low-altitude aircraft and traditional aviation cables were introduced. Special cables for low-altitude aircraft were divided into two major categories, tethered cables and airborne cables, and their application scenarios and focused performance requirements were described respectively. Research on structure composition, material selection, and process innovation of two types of cables in China was mainly reviewed, aiming to provide ideas for follow-up research and development and optimization of special cables for low-altitude aircraft, provide reference for relevant manufacturers and integrators, and help high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.