Alula Effect on Aerodynamic Performance of Small UAVs Wing Configuration

Abstract

The application range of small UAVs for civil purposes such as aerial imaging, agricultural pest control and, corps management as well as drone delivery has been increasing throughout recent years. Promising results are observed from recent studies which support the effectiveness of the bio-inspired approach in improving the aerodynamic efficiency of small UAVs. However, very limited studies have investigated the effect of Alula on the aerodynamic performance of wing geometries. This research investigates the effects of employing Alula on the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing to overcome the challenge of small UAVs efficiency degradation. Numerical and experimental investigations are conducted on 6 different Alula configurations. The findings of the investigations shows a reduction in drag for wings and an increase in aerodynamic efficiency by 9% for wings with Alula compared to the conventional wing. It is observed that using Alula configuration helps in delaying flow separation by adding momentum into the flow which resulted in total drag reduction without having a significant effect on the lift. Consequently, the aerodynamic efficiency is increased, and this can be utilized in drone industry to increase the endurance of the flight.