Aerodynamic Analysis of a Conceptual Fixed-Wing Vertical Take-Off and Landing UAV Powered by a Piston Engine

Dafiaghor Aghoghoroghenena Gordon, Abdussalam El-Suleiman, Rexcharles Enyinna Donatus, Mathias Usman Bonet, Samuel David Iyaghigba

Abstract


This study presents an aerodynamic analysis of a conceptual fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (FW-VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) powered by a piston engine. The primary objective was to optimize the lift-to-drag (L/D) ratio to improve the UAV’s flight range and aerodynamic efficiency. Using XFLR5 software, the performance of selected airfoils NACA 4412 for the wing and NACA 0011 for the tail was evaluated under varying angles of attack and trim conditions. The analysis identified a maximum L/D ratio of 20.904 between 3.05° and 3.10° angles of attack. A trim angle of 1.847° produced an L/D ratio of 20.150 with a drag coefficient of 0.024, closely matching the minimum drag value of 0.023. These results confirm the aerodynamic efficiency of the selected configuration. Compared to prior studies, which primarily focused on general UAV designs or high-fidelity simulations, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of a lightweight computational approach using XFLR5. The findings offer a practical methodology for early-stage design optimization of FW-VTOL UAVs, especially those operating at higher cruise speeds with piston engines.


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