Design and aerodynamic analysis of a samara-inspired unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract This paper presents the design and aerodynamic analysis of a novel unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) inspired by the samara seed’s natural flight mechanics. The UAV is designed to emulate the self-stabilizing spin behavior of the winged seed during descent, offering an innovative approach to UAV swarm applications. The aircraft incorporates a spinning wing, a load-bearing fuselage, and integrated propulsion and control systems, optimized for both military and civilian use. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, the aerodynamic performance of the UAV was evaluated under various operational conditions, focusing on lift generation, stability, and control dynamics. The results demonstrate that the samara-inspired design achieves stable spin flight and adequate lift to carry a payload while maintaining lateral stability. Potential applications for this design include precision aerial delivery, reconnaissance, and environmental monitoring.