Aerodynamic Analysis of Blended Wing Body - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (BWB-UAV) Equipped with Horizontal Stabilizers

Abstract

This paper presents an aerodynamic characteristic study in longitudinal direction of UiTM Blended Wing Body-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Prototype (BWB-UAV Prototype) equipped with horizontal stabilizers. Flight tests have been conducted and as the result, BWB experienced overturning condition at certain angle of attack. Horizontal stabilizer was added at different location and size to overcome the issue during the flight test. Therefore, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis is performed at different configuration of horizontal stabilizer using Spalart - Allmaras as a turbulence model. CFD simulation of the aircraft is conducted at Mach number 0.06 or v = 20 m/s at various angle of attack, α. The data of lift coefficient (CL), drag coefficient (CD), and pitching moment coefficient (CM) is obtained from the simulations. The data is represented in curves against angle of attack to measure the performance of BWB prototype with horizontal stabilizer. From the simulation, configuration with far distance and large horizontal stabilizer gives steeper negative pitching moment slope indicating better static stability of the aircraft.