Design And Test Of A UAV Blended Wing Body Configuration

This paper presents the design and test of a UAV blended wing body configuration. It is the result of a global student design project between the University of Sydney, the University of Colorado and the University of Stuttgart. Firstly, the design methodology and constraints are introduced. Then the wind tunnel test setup is described and the data presented. Finally, an engineering method to predict the propulsion effects on this unusual airframe is described.

Comparison between the wind tunnel data and panel code predictions shows good agreement, also reinforced by successful flight tests.

Propulsion effects on a low stability airframe can be serious and need to be considered during the design to avoid possible instabilities. The method presented allows for a quick estimate without tedious computations or tests.