Design and Analysis of a Light Cargo UAV Prototype
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 25, Issue 2
Abstract
A light cargo unmanned air vehicle (UAV) was designed, constructed, and tested in flight. This UAV was designed and built according to the specifications of the Air Cargo Challenge 2009 Design, Build & Fly European student competition. The basic aerodynamic and stability analysis that was used in the preliminary phase of the light UAV design is presented first. Flight stability analysis based on the linearized theory was performed next. Preliminary aerodynamic analysis based on Navier-Stokes solutions for wing and wing-body configurations during the design phase was carried out. Further aerodynamic analysis for the full configuration after the design was completed was carried out to evaluate the performance during the flight envelope. The findings of this analysis could be utilized to further improve the aerodynamics of the existing design and enhance stability and performance characteristics of the light cargo UAV. The conceptual design was constructed and successfully tested.
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© 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Sep 8, 2010
Accepted: Mar 29, 2011
Published online: Mar 31, 2011
Published in print: Apr 1, 2012
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