CBL - Campus del Baix Llobregat

Projecte llegit

Títol: Estudio aerodinámico y experimental de configuraciones de winglets para un UAV de ala fija

Estudiants que han llegit aquest projecte:

Director/a: ALTMEYER, SEBASTIÁN ANDREAS

Departament: FIS

Títol: Estudio aerodinámico y experimental de configuraciones de winglets para un UAV de ala fija

Data inici oferta: 19-12-2025     Data finalització oferta: 19-07-2026


Estudis d'assignació del projecte:
    GR ENG SIS TELECOMUN
    GR ENG SIST AEROESP
    GR ENG TELEMÀTICA
Tipus: Individual
 
Lloc de realització: EETAC
 
Paraules clau:
Computational fluid dynamics, Winglet design, Optimization, Drag reduction, Wing-tip vortices, Aerodynamic efficiency
 
Descripció del contingut i pla d'activitats:
This Bachelor's Thesis focuses on the comparative aerodynamic analysis of different winglet configurations applied to a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), with the aim of evaluating their influence on wing aerodynamic performance and identifying an optimal configuration in terms of induced drag reduction and overall aerodynamic efficiency.
The work will start with the definition of a reference wing representative of a small fixed-wing UAV, designed using realistic geometric parameters and flight conditions typical
of this class of aircraft. Based on this reference wing, several wingtip configurations will be developed, including a baseline case without winglet and multiple winglet designs, such
as positive cant angles, negative cant angles, and curved or circular winglet configurations. This approach allows for a systematic investigation of how winglet geometry affects wingtip vortex formation and the resulting aerodynamic forces.
All configurations will be modelled using SolidWorks and analysed through three-dimensional CFD simulations (ANSYS), ensuring consistent boundary conditions and operating regimes in order to guarantee meaningful comparisons. The analysis will be based on aerodynamic coefficients (lift, drag, and efficiency) as well as on qualitative and quantitative examination of the flow field, with particular attention to wingtip vortex behaviour.
Based on the numerical results, the winglet configuration that provides the best aerodynamic trade-off for the selected operating conditions will be chosen as the final design. This configuration will then be manufactured using additive manufacturing (3D printing), producing a physical demonstrator that is coherent with the numerical model.
Finally, the printed wing-winglet model will be tested in the university's wind tunnel, enabling a preliminary experimental comparison with the CFD results. The experimental
campaign will focus on comparing trends, relative performance between configurations, and orders of magnitude rather than full validation. Any discrepancies between numerical and experimental results will be critically discussed, considering the limitations inherent to the CFD modelling, the experimental setup, and scaling effects.
Overall, the thesis is conceived as a complete engineering study, integrating aerodynamic design, numerical simulation, manufacturing, and experimental testing, and aims to provide
a methodology applicable to preliminary winglet design for fixed-wing UAVs.
 
Overview (resum en anglès):
This Bachelor's Degree Final Project addresses the aerodynamic and experimental study of different winglet configurations incorporated into a representative small-scale unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) wing, with the aim of analysing their influence on the aerodynamic performance of the wing and selecting the most suitable configuration for the operating conditions considered, with particular emphasis on improving overall aerodynamic efficiency.

The study begins with the definition of a reference wing representative of a small UAV, designed using realistic geometric parameters and flight conditions. Several wingtip configurations are then developed on this baseline wing, including a configuration without winglets and different winglet designs with positive cant angle, negative cant angle, blended geometry, fence-type geometry and dual feather geometry. These configurations make it possible to systematically analyse the effect of winglet geometry on the formation of wingtip vortices and on the resulting aerodynamic forces.

The geometries are modelled using SolidWorks and analysed through three-dimensional CFD simulations performed with ANSYS. The boundary conditions, flight regime and computational methodology are kept constant in order to ensure the comparability of the results. The analysis considers both global aerodynamic coefficients -lift, drag and aerodynamic efficiency- and the flow field, with particular attention paid to the structure and evolution of the wingtip vortices.

Based on the numerical results, the winglet configuration that provides the best aerodynamic compromise for the operating conditions considered is selected. This configuration is manufactured using 3D printing, producing a physical demonstrator consistent with the numerical model developed. Finally, the wing equipped with the selected winglet is tested in the EETAC wind tunnel, allowing a preliminary experimental comparison with the CFD results.

The project is conceived as a complete aeronautical engineering study integrating design, numerical simulation, manufacturing and experimental testing, and provides a methodology applicable to the preliminary design stages of winglets for fixed-wing UAVs.

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