Faculty Directory

• High-speed tiltrotors
• Rotorcraft 3-D structural dynamics & aeromechanics
• Electric-VTOL
• Mars Helicopters

1. High-Speed Tiltrotors

• Fundamental understanding of whirl-flutter and vibratory loads through wind-tunnel tests (8- by 11-ft, 200 knot, Glenn L. Martin tunnel) and comprehensive analysis (UMARC-II)
• Tiltrotors with swept-tips
• Tiltrotors with hingeless hubs
• Aero-electric behavior of electrically driven tiltrotors

2. Scalable 3-D Structures

• Development of parallel and scalable 3-D Finite Element-multibody -based rotor aeroelastic solver (X3D)
• 3-D fluid-structure interface
• Fundamental understanding of 3-D stresses on lift-offset coaxial rotors through advanced CFD-X3D coupling
• Fundamental understanding of double-anhedral tip rotors through analysis and wind-tunnel tests

3. Electric-VTOL

• Engine-generator-motor -based distributed power systems for multi-rotor eVTOL aircraft
• Hydrogen fuel-cells for design of eVTOL aircraft
• Li-Sulfur batteries for design of eVTOL aircraft
• Interactional wake and vibratory loads on large multirotor aircraft

4. Mars Helicopter

• Structural and aeromechanical design of next-generation Mars Helicopters
• Fabrication and chamber tests of low tip Reynolds number (1,000-15,000) rotors
• 3-D computer vision for feature-detection and autonomous landing
• Flight dynamics and control of helicopters on Mars

• Helicopter Dynamics I
• Helicopter Dynamics II
• Structural Dynamics
• Short courses on Electric-VTOL
  • VFS, Annual Forum, 2018-cont
  • Naval Test Pilot School, 2018
  • AIAA, Aviation Forum, 2019
  • VFS, 7-th Annual eVTOL Symposium, 2020
  • Air Force, Agility Prime, 2020
  • AIAA-VFS joint course, 2023

Journal Papers

2025

1. Akinwale, A. and Datta, A., "Understanding High-Speed Aeroelastic Stability of a Gimballed Proprotor," Journal of Aircraft, Article in Advance, 2025. AkDa_JA2025.pdf
2. Britcher, V., Datta, A. and Chopra, I. "Refinement and Characterization of Feature-Based Vision Algorithm for Ship-Deck Landing Under Degraded Visibility," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Article in advance, 2025. BrDaCh_JAHS2025.pdf
3. Patil, M. and Datta, A. "Three-Dimensional Blade and Hub Stresses of Coaxial Rotors in Forward Flight," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Article in advance, 2025. PaDa_JAHS2025.pdf

2024

1. Patil, M., Lumba, R., Jayaraman, B. and Datta, A., "An Integrated Three-dimensional Aeromechanical Analysis for the Prediction of Stresses on Modern Coaxial Rotors," The International Journal of High Performance Computing, Vol. 38, (4), July 2024, pp. 356-376. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10943420241255089
2. Patil, M., Datta, A., Lumba, R. and Jayaraman, B., "Integrated Three-Dimensional Airloads and Stresses on Lift-Offset Coaxial Rotors at Extreme Speeds," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 61, (5), Sep-Oct 2024, pp. 1397-1411.
3. Patil, M. and Datta, A., "Three-Dimensional Aeromechanical Analysis of Lift Offset Coaxial Rotors: A Helios Test Case," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 61, (3),  May-June 2024, pp. 939-956.PaDa_JA2024.pdf
4. Tsai, F., Sutherland, J., Akinwale, A., Morin, A., Gul, S., Datta, A., "Development and Whirl Flutter Test of the Maryland Tiltrotor Rig,", Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 69, (1), January 2024, pp. 1-15. Tsai_JAHS2024.pdf
5. Sutherland, J., Tsai, F. and Datta, A. "Whirl Flutter Test of Swept-Tip Tiltrotor Blades," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 69, (1), January 2024, pp. 1-12. SuTsDa_JAHS2024.pdf
6. Gul, S., Datta, A., "Prediction and Validation of Whirl Flutter Data of the Maryland Tiltrotor Rig,", Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 69, (1), January 2024, pp. 1-11. GuDa_JAHS2024.pdf

2023

1. Lumba, R., Chi, C., Datta, A., Koning, W., Perez, N. P., Cummings, H. "Structural Design and Aeromechanical Analysis of Unconventional Blades for Future Mars Rotorcraft," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 68, (4), October 2023, pp. 1-16. LuChDaNASA_JAHS2023.pdf
2. Chi, C., Datta, A. and Panda, B., "Vacuum and Hover Tests of a Dihedral-Anhedral Tip Composite Rotor," Vol. 60, (5), Journal of Aircraft, September 2023, pp. 1700-1711.ChDaPa_JA2023.pdf
3. Lumba, R. and Datta, A., "Scalable mesh partitioning for multibody-3D finite element based rotary-wing structures," Computers and Structures, Vol. 281, June 2023, pp. 1-21. LuDa_CS2023.pdf
4. Sutherland, J. and Datta, A., "Fabrication, Testing and 3D Comprehensive Analysis of Swept-Tip Tiltrotor Blades," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 68, (1), January 2023, pp. 1-17.
5. Gul, S. and Datta, A., "Aeroelastic Loads and Stability of Swept-Tip Hingeless Tiltrotors toward High-Speed Instability-Free Cruise," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 68, (1), January 2023, pp. 1-18. GuDa_JAHS2023.pdf
6. Gul, S. and Datta, A., "Development of an Aeromechanics Solver for Loads and Stability of Hingeless Tiltrotors," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, (1), pp. 143-159, January 2023. GuDa_JA2023.pdf
7. Maurya, S., Chopra, I. and Datta, A., "Steady and Unsteady Hover Test of a Lift Compounding Rotorcraft," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 60, (1), pp. 130-142, January 2023.

2022

1. Chi, C., Lumba, R., Jung, Y. S. and Datta, A., "Aeromechanical Analysis of a Next-Generation Mars Hexacopter Rotor," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 59, (6), November-December 2022, pp 1463-1477.CLJD_JA2022.pdf

2021

1. Patil, M. and Datta, A., "A Scalable Time-Parallel Solution of Periodic Rotor Dynamics in X3D," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 66, (4), October 2021, pp. 1-16.DP_JAHS2021.pdf
2. Datta, A., NASA/CR 2021-0000284, "PEM Fuel Cell MODEL for Conceptual Design of Hydrogen eVTOL Aircraft," National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, January 2021, pp. 1-273. http://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20210000284
3. Escobar, D., Chopra, I., and Datta, A., "High-Fidelity Aeromechanical Analysis of Coaxial Mars Helicopter," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 58, (3), May 2021, pp. 609-623.
4. Mills, B. and Datta, A. "Fundamental Studies of Variable-Voltage Hybrid-Electric Powertrains," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 66, (2), April 2021.
5. Chi, C. et al., "Three-Dimensional Strains on Twisted and Swept Composite Rotor Blades in Vacuum," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 58, (1), January-February 2021.
6. Ng, W., Patil, M., and Datta, A., "Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Battery Hybrid Architecture for Range Extension of Electric VTOL (eVTOL) Aircraft," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 66, (1), January 2021. NPD_JAHS2021.pdf

2020

1. Johnson, W. et al., NASA/TM 2020-220485, "Mars Science Helicopter Conceptual Design," National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, March 2020. http://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20200002139

2019

1. Ng, W. and Datta, A., "Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Batteries for Electric-Vertical Take Off and Landing Aircraft,'' Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 56, (5), September 2019, pp. 1765-1782.ND_JA2019.pdf
2. Staruk, W. and Datta, A., "Gimballed Tiltrotor Conversion Flight Loads Prediction using 3-D Structural Analysis,'' Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 56, (2), March 2019.

2018

1. Ward, E., Chopra, I., and Datta, A., "Rotation-Frequency-Driven Extension-Torsion Coupled Self-Twisting Rotor Blades,'' Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 55, (5), September 2018.
2. Staruk, W., Datta, A., Chopra, I., and Jayaraman, B., "An Integrated Three-Dimensional Aeromechanics Analysis of the NASA Tilt Rotor Aeroacoustic Model," Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 63, (3), July 2018.

2016

1. Potsdam, M., Datta, A., and Jayaraman, B., "Computational Investigation and Fundamental Understanding of a Slowed Rotor at High Advance Ratios,'' Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 61, (2), April 2016.

2011-2014

1. Datta, A. and Johnson, W., "Power Plant Design and Performance Analysis of a Manned All-Electric Helicopter'' Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 30, (2), March 2014, pp. 490-505.DJ_JPP2014.pdf
2. Datta, A., Yeo, H. and Norman, T. R., "Experimental Investigation and Fundamental Understanding of a Slowed Rotor at High Advance Ratios,'' Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 58, (2), April 2013.
3. Sitaraman, J., Potsdam, M., Wissink, A., Jayaraman, B., Datta, A., Mavriplis, D., and Saberi, H., "Rotor Loads Prediction Using Helios: A Multisolver Framework for Rotorcraft Aeromechanics Analysis," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 50, (2), March-April 2013, pp. 478-492.
4. Choi, S., Datta, A., and Alonso, J. "Prediction of Helicopter Rotor Loads using Time-Spectral CFD and An Exact Fluid-Structure Interface,'' Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 56, (4), October 2011.
5. Datta, A. and Johnson, W., "Three-dimensional Finite Element Formulation and Scalable Domain Decomposition for High Fidelity Rotor Dynamic Analysis,'' Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 56, (2), July 2011.

Selected Conference Papers:

• Tsai, F., Sutherland-Foggio, J., Datta, A., and Privett, D.  "The Maryland Tiltrotor Rig (MTR) - The Baseline Gimballed Hub," American Helicopter Society Annual Forum 75, Philadelphia, May 13-16, 2019.
• Datta, A., Tsai, F., and Sutherland-Foggio, J., "Design of a New Tiltrotor Test Facility at the University of Maryland,'' AIAA Paper 2019-2136, SciTech Forum, San Diego, CA, Jan 7-11, 2019.
• Datta, A., "X3D --- A 3D Solid Finite Element Multibody Dynamic Analysis for Rotorcraft,'' American Helicopter Society Technical Meeting on Aeromechanics Design for Vertical Lift, San Francisco, CA, January 20-22, 2016.
• Norman, T. R., Shinoda, P., Peterson, R. L. and Datta, A., "Full-Scale Wind Tunnel Test of the UH-60A Airloads Rotor,'' American Helicopter Society Annual Forum 67, Virginia Beach, May 3–5, 2011.