Design and manufacture of a fixed wing MAV with zimmerman planform

Abstract

A comprehensive method is used to design and manufacture a fixed wing micro air vehicle (MAV) with Zimmerman planform. The design process includes four stages which are the specification of the flight mission, determination of the best aspect ratio, identification of the optimum wing loading, and estimation of the weight of the structural components of the MAV. To this end, various statistical and analytical methods are utilized. Based on an aerodynamic analysis, the results show that an optimum aspect ratio that maximizes the performance of the Zimmerman MAV for a well-defined cruise speed is determined. Considering six possible flights, a constraint analysis is performed and an optimum wing loading value is found. Using the 3D panel method, the determination of the shape of the reflexed airfoil for the MAV is successfully done by minimizing the drag force and the angle of attack to use less powerful motor and avoid any stall effect, respectively. During test flight, the results show that the designed Zimmerman MAV satisfies the predefined specification. The final characteristics of the manufactured MAV are: wingspan of 44 centimeters, weight of 450 grams, aspect ratio of 1.51, cruise speed of 20m/s, and flight endurance of 20 minutes.