Abstract
The aerodynamic design of high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles is driven by the rapidly decreasing air density at the upper boundaries of the atmosphere. A corresponding increase in wing area cannot provide a simple solution because of the additional weight and flexibility of the high-aspect-ratio wings. The excessive spanwise flexibility can be addressed by developing thicker airfoil sections that will increase the wing bending stiffness. Additional reduction in the expected wing size could be achieved by increasing the design cruise lift coefficient. Consequently, the objective of this study was to develop a 24% thick, two-element airfoil section capable of lift coefficients approaching two. Expected operational Reynolds number was estimated within the range of 0.5 to 1.0 x 10 6 . A secondary objective of this study was to experiment with the airfoil design-optimization procedure, which later could be automated.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
