Numerical Investigation of Advanced Composite Materials for Enhanced Structural Performance and Aerodynamic Efficiency of UAV Wings

In this research, the deficiencies in structural performance and aerodynamic performance of UAV wings fabricated with conventional materials have been investigated to identify how composite material can improve them. A quantitative study using CFD, FSI, and modal analysis is used to evaluate the AAI Shadow-200 RQ-7 UAV wings performance. With SOLIDWORKS for the geometry of the structures and ANSYS for the simulations, the performance of Epoxy Carbon UD Prepreg and Epoxy/glass fiber UD prepreg QI composites are compared to that of the conventional aluminum. The results reveal that the use of Epoxy/glass fiber UD prepreg QI offers the best safety factor, least deformation, and a greatly enhanced load carrying capacity. This research has added significant knowledge into the improvement of UAV wing design, the enhancement of the use of composite material in aerospace engineering, and has given a sound framework for the design of the next generation UAVs.