International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences

The Korean Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences (한국항공우주학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Computational Analysis of the Aerodynamic Performance of a Long-Endurance UAV

  • Jin, Wonjin (Dept. of Aviation Maintenance Engineering, Far East University) ;
  • Lee, Yung-Gyo (Aerodynamics Division, Korea Aerospace Research Institute)
  • Received : 2014.06.30
  • Accepted : 2014.10.07
  • Published : 2014.12.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This paper presents the computational aerodynamic analysis of a long-endurance UAV that was developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), named EAV-2. EAV-2 is a technical demonstrator of aerodynamically efficient design, as well as a hybrid electric-propulsion system for future long-endurance UAVs. We evaluated the aerodynamic characteristics of six low-Reynolds number airfoils, using a panel method code, XFOIL, to select an optimal airfoil for the long-endurance mission of EAV-2. The computational results by a CFD code, FLUENT, suggested that the aerodynamic performance of EAV-2 would be notably improved after adopting SG6043 airfoil, and modifying the fuselage design. This reduced the total drag by 43%, compared to that of a previous KARI model, EAV-1, at the target lift of $C_L=1.0$. Also, we achieved a drag reduction of approximately 14% by means of the low-drag fuselage configuration.

Keywords

References

  1. G. Romeo, G. Frulla, E. Cestino, and G. Corsino, "HELIPLAT: Design, Aerodynamic and Structural Analysis of Long-Endurance, Solar-Powered Stratospheric Platform," Journal of Aircraft, Vol.41, No.6, 2004, pp. 1505-1520. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.2723
  2. C. L. Nickol, M. D. Guynn, L. L. Kohout, and T. A. Ozoroski, "High Altitude Long Endurance Air Vehicle Analysis of Alternatives and Technology Requirements Development," AIAA Paper 2007-1050, Jan. 2007.
  3. J. W. Youngblood, T. A. Talay, and R. J. Pegg, "Design of Long Endurance Unmanned Airplanes Incorporating Solar and Fuel Cell Propulsion," AIAA Paper 84-1430, Jun. 1984.
  4. W. J. Jin, Y. G. Lee, C. W. Kim, S. M. Ahn, and D. S. Lee, "Computational Analysis of Aerodynamic Performance of a small-scale Electric Aerial Vehicle," Proceeding of the 2010 Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences (KSAS) Fall Conference, Vol. 1, 2010, pp. 473-476.
  5. M. Drela and H. Youngren, XFOIL 6.94 User Guide, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, URL: http://web.mit.edu/drela/Public/web/xfoil/, 2001.
  6. M. S. Selig, J. J. Guglielmo, A. P. Broeren, and P. Giguere, Summary of Low-Speed Airfoil Data, Vol. 1, Soar Tech Publications, Virginia Beach, 1995.
  7. C. A. Lyon, A. P. Broeren, P. Giguere, A. Gopalarathnam, and M. S. Selig, Summary of Low-Speed Airfoil Data, Vol. 3, Soar Tech Publications, Virginia Beach, 1998.
  8. ANSYS FLUENT Ver. 12 Software Package, Ansys Fluent Inc., Canonsburg, PA, USA.
  9. GAMBIT Software Package, Ver. 2.4.6, Ansys Fluent Inc., Canonsburg, PA, USA.
  10. TGRID Ver. 3.5, Ansys Fluent Inc., Canonsburg, PA, USA.
  11. Y. G. Lee, W. J. Jin, S. M. Ahn, and D. S. Lee, "Numerical and In-Flight Drag Estimation of a Small Electric Aerial Vehicle," Proceeding of the 2011 Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences (KSAS) Fall Conference, Vol. 1, 2011, pp. 839-844.
  12. Advanced Aircraft Analysis Software Package, Ver. 3.2, DARCorporation, Lawrence, KS, USA.
  13. M. S. Selig and B. D.McGranahan, Wind Tunnel Aerodynamic Tests of Six Airfoils for Use on Small Wind Turbines, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Subcontractor Report, NREL/SR-500-34515, Oct. 2004.
  14. D. P. Raymer, Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, the 4th edition, AIAA Education Series, AIAA Inc., Reston, 2006.
  15. J. E. Williams and S. R. Vukelich, "The USAF Stability and Control Digital Datcom," AFFDL-TR-3032, Apr. 1979.

Cited by

  1. Wing Design Optimization for a Long-Endurance UAV using FSI Analysis and the Kriging Method vol.17, pp.3, 2016, https://doi.org/10.5139/IJASS.2016.17.3.423