Study on application of winglets in drones

Abstract

With the rapid development of drone technology, methods to improve drone performance have emerged endlessly. Reducing air resistance can significantly improve drones fight performance. The winglet is used to control the turbulence and vortices. The widespread application of winglets in the field of military and civil aviation has enabled winglets to be applied to drones to improve flight range and economic efficiency. As different winglets have different impacts on drones flight performance, this article focuses on the influence of different winglets on enhancing lift and reducing resistance of small civilian drones. In detail, three representative winglets are taken as the specific research objects, including the fusion winglet, the double fork scimitar winglets, and wingtip fence. The aerodynamic characteristics and the structural designs are comprehensively introduced. The importance of winglets in improving aircraft performance, energy saving and environmental protection is briefly explained. This article may offer a reference for the design of drones.