Aerodynamic Characteristics of the X-Tail Stabilizer in a Hybrid Unmanned Aircraft

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the numerical calculation of the flow around hybrid unmanned aircraft with X-tail stabilizers. This aircraft design is an innovative combination of a gyroplane and a multi-rotor. The aerodynamic properties of the two-part X-tail stabilizer were analysed. The aerodynamic forces and moments on this element of the aircraft were specified from the CFD simulation calculations for the defined values of the angle of attack and the slip angle, and particular attention was paid to the differences between the upper and lower parts of the stabilizer. In addition, the turbulence kinetic energy on the surface of the vortex core region were analysed to conduct a qualitative and quantitative analysis of energy losses in flow, resulting from local separation and vortices. The obtained results allow for conducting further aerodynamic comparative analyses on other types of stabilizers.