Abstract
For typical UAV quadcopters equipped with commercial propellers up to 15", passive ice protection systems (PIPSs) represent the most viable solution against in-flight icing. However, little data is available regarding the actual ice adhesion performance of standard UAV propeller materials: CF-epoxy and CF-polymer. In this work, we investigate the ice adhesion characteristics of two widely used commercial propellers using the centrifugal method, which mimics the real operating condition of a rotating blade. To ensure repeatability and accurate force estimation, custom water cuvettes were designed and 3D-printed to match the curved surfaces of the blades and to create ice shapes with known dimensions. Tests were conducted at −10 °C and −20 °C to eval-uate the influence of temperature on ice adhesion. A fixed test setup was developed to gradually increase rotational speed until ice detachment occurred, allowing calculation of the centrifugal force required to over-come adhesion. The aerodynamic drag on the cuvettes was also estimated and found to be negligible. Due to the high variability of the measurements, a two-way ANOVA was performed to assess the statistical signifi-cance of the observed differences. When considered as a whole, the two blades showed average ice adhesion strengths of 231.7 kPa and 318.6 kPa. The results aim to provide a baseline for understanding the ice adhesion properties of common UAV propellers, supporting the design of tailored passive anti-icing solutions.