ON MODERN APPROACH TO AIRPLANE-TYPE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES DESIGN WITH SHORT TAKEOFF AND LANDING

Abstract

This publication opens a series of review papers devoted to the current design problems of the next generation unmanned airplanes that are expected to appear in the period from 2025 to 2035. The series of papers considers airplanes with vertical take-off and landing, air launch of small satellites into the orbit, cargo transportation tasks, issues related to new aerodynamic forms, as well as hybrid, combined and distributed power units. The first paper of the cycle is devoted to the conceptual aerodynamic design of the airplanes with a short take-off and landing, and with technical and economic characteristics on cruise flight conditions no worse than for traditional airplane based on aerodrome with long airstrip. We consider traditional linear methods for aerodynamic scheme analysis and weight analysis, as well. The main relationships and references to the works enabling the parametric analysis of the aerodynamic configuration are given. It is concluded that one of the most promising areas in the field of airplanes with a short take-off and landing is the development of aerodynamic circuits constructed as a "flying wing" of small aspect ratio and large structural height.

Keywords

• national technological initiative
• “Aeronet”
• unmanned aerial vehicle
• vertical takeoff and landing
• short takeoff and landing
• convertoplan
• aerodynamics
• Prandtl's linear lift theory