Development of a Low-Cost Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Through Simulation

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to design and develop a fixed-wing UAV through a simulation process, considering its decent performance and minimal fabrication cost. The current work focused on the dual rotor UAV, which can be used to conduct civil surveillance operations. Theoretical study and computational fluid dynamics obtained the required parameters to initiate the design procedure. COMSOL Multiphysics, XFLR5, and the 3D design tool SolidWorks were used for CFD analysis. Design parameters were chosen for an aircraft weight of 3 kg, including 1 kg of payload. From the simulation, it was found that a wing span of 1.5 m with a chord length of 0.2 m was enough to achieve the desired lift and stability. The design includes a 0.45 m x 0.1 m fuselage x 0.1m to carry the payload and control system and a boom-mounted tail for better stability. The designed UAV can operate at a speed of 15 ms^-1 to 20 ms^-1 and generates lift to 80 N. At the end of this work, the design and development of a fixed-wing dual-rotor UAV with an electric propulsion system has been achieved.