Conceptual Design of Boom Mounted Inverted V-Tail in the Searcher MK II UAV

Abstract

Abstract: Long endurance surveillance drones are preferred in both military and meteorological applications. Designers aim to enhance vehicle aerodynamics in view of increasing endurance by introducing methods of drag reduction. This research aims to enhance the performance of an existing UAV widely used in Sri Lanka for surveillance, reconnaissance and other military operations. The UAV is propelled by a pusher type propeller, behind which lies a twin boom mounted H-tail for the stability. The propeller wake from the propeller creates a continuous turbulent flow on the tail surface resulting in higher profile drag. A design is proposed to replace the tail section with inverted V-tail configuration with sufficient clearance from the immediate propeller wake. The new design resulted in a reduction of approximately 21% in total wetted area. CFD simulations were carried out to analyse aerodynamic parameters of the reconfigured aircraft, where 18.69% reduction in drag was observed. The static longitudinal static stability is assessed and found to be within acceptable limits. The final design shows a significant improvement in the performance of the aircraft in terms of range and endurance.