Atmospheric Aircraft Conceptual Design Based on Multidisciplinary Optimization with Differential Evolution Algorithm and Neural Networks

Abstract

A methodology for selecting rational parameters of atmospheric aircraft during the initial design stages using a differential evolutionary optimization algorithm and numerical mathematical modeling of aerodynamics problems is proposed. The technique involves implementing weight and aerodynamic balance in the main flight modes, considering atmospheric aircraft with one or two lifting surfaces, applying parallel calculations, and auto-generating a three-dimensional geometric model of the aircraft’s appearance based on the optimization results. A method for accelerating the process of optimizing aircraft parameters in terms of takeoff weight by more than three times by introducing an objective function into the set of design variables is proposed and demonstrated. The reliability of mathematical models used in aerodynamics and the accuracy of the objective function calculation considering various constraints are explored. A comprehensive test of the performance and efficiency of the methodology is conducted by solving demonstration problems to optimize more than ten main design parameters for the appearance of two existing heavy-class unmanned aerial vehicles with known characteristics from open sources.

Keywords

• atmospheric aircraft
• appearance
• design
• takeoff weight
• optimization
• differential evolution algorithm