TY - GEN
T1 - Aerodynamic design of long-range vtol uav
AU - Footohi, Parisa
AU - Bouskela, Adrien
AU - Shkarayev, Sergey
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - The blended-wing-body vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (BWB VTOL UAV) combines the hovering and VTOL capabilities of a helicopter with the efficiency of a fixed-wing aircraft. The BWB utilizes a lift-generating fuselage that improves the lift produced by the craft, and therefore improving the overall efficiency. The body allows for the propulsion system necessary for VTOL to be housed in the fuselage. The purpose of this research is to understand the effects of planform shape on the aerodynamics of the UAV, and the ground effects and jet interactions due to having rotors submerged within the fuselage of the craft. Wind tunnel experimentation was performed on the fore-and aft-body positioned BWB models. The results indicate that having a fore-positioned body with respect to the wing provides better stability and efficiency for long-range flights. Additional tests were conducted on just the wing of the UAV to better understand the lift, drag, and moment contributions from the lift-generating fuselage of the fore-BWB model. The ground effects due to ducted propellers in the body were also studied. Motor thrust values were obtained with the UAV positioned at heights of 1, 2, and 3 duct diameters. Results for when all four motors are running show favorable ground effects. A comparison of these results with the thrust from the individual data indicates positive jet interactions between the four motors.
AB - The blended-wing-body vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (BWB VTOL UAV) combines the hovering and VTOL capabilities of a helicopter with the efficiency of a fixed-wing aircraft. The BWB utilizes a lift-generating fuselage that improves the lift produced by the craft, and therefore improving the overall efficiency. The body allows for the propulsion system necessary for VTOL to be housed in the fuselage. The purpose of this research is to understand the effects of planform shape on the aerodynamics of the UAV, and the ground effects and jet interactions due to having rotors submerged within the fuselage of the craft. Wind tunnel experimentation was performed on the fore-and aft-body positioned BWB models. The results indicate that having a fore-positioned body with respect to the wing provides better stability and efficiency for long-range flights. Additional tests were conducted on just the wing of the UAV to better understand the lift, drag, and moment contributions from the lift-generating fuselage of the fore-BWB model. The ground effects due to ducted propellers in the body were also studied. Motor thrust values were obtained with the UAV positioned at heights of 1, 2, and 3 duct diameters. Results for when all four motors are running show favorable ground effects. A comparison of these results with the thrust from the individual data indicates positive jet interactions between the four motors.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85083941220&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85083941220&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2514/6.2019-2291
DO - 10.2514/6.2019-2291
M3 - Conference contribution
SN - 9781624105784
T3 - AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum
BT - AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum
PB - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
T2 - AIAA Scitech Forum, 2019
Y2 - 7 January 2019 through 11 January 2019
ER -