28th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference · 2010 · 52 citations · 17 references
EngineeringAerospace EngineeringMechanical EngineeringAerodynamicsAerospace StructuresAircraft DesignAerodynamic DesignComputational AerodynamicsExperimental AerodynamicsWind-tunnel TestingWing AerodynamicsWing DesignAerodynamic OptimizationAircraft Aerodynamic DesignDesign MethodologyDragLift-to-drag RatioReynolds NumberWinglet DesignWingtip Vortices
Winglets improve efficiency by diffusing wingtip vortices, reducing drag and increasing lift‑to‑drag ratio, but their effectiveness on small UAVs operating at low Reynolds numbers remains largely unproven. The study investigates design and optimization methods for UAV winglets operating at Reynolds numbers near 10. Using a vortex‑lattice method, the authors optimized Whitcomb and blended winglet geometries, validated them with wind‑tunnel tests, and applied the resulting designs to existing UAV platforms to demonstrate performance gains.
Winglets are known improve the efficiency of large aircraft at high subsonic speeds, but winglet designs for smaller aircraft such as UAVs are largely unproven. Winglets improve efficiency by diffusing the shed wingtip vortex, which in turn reduces the drag due to lift and improves the wing’s lift over drag ratio. This research investigates methods for designing and optimizing winglet geometry for UAVs that operate at Reynolds numbers near 10. The design methodology is based on the vortex lattice method. Optimized designs are tested and compared with base designs for validation and include both Whitcomb and blended winglets. Designs are validated using wind tunnel tests. The resulting methodology is then applied to existing UAV platforms for specific performance improvements.
17