Aerodynamic Analysis and Application of the Channel Wing Configuration Based on the Actuator Disk Model

The channel wing offers unique advantages in the short take-off and landing (STOL) application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). To investigate its aerodynamic performance, an individual propeller was simulated using the actuator disk model. The computed values were in close agreement with the experimental data. To conduct an initial assessment of the aerodynamic advantages offered by the channel wing, this study compared three configurations: a clean wing, a wing with a forward propeller, and a channel wing. The analysis revealed that the channel wing exhibits a better lift-to-drag ratio than the wing with a forward propeller. Further analysis investigated how propeller-to-wing clearance, axial placement relative to the wing’s leading edge, and changes in propeller diameter influence the channel wing aerodynamic characteristics. To validate the simulation results, a test platform was designed, and the calculated results were qualitatively verified. The findings indicated that reducing the propeller-to-wing clearance enhances the channel wing’s lift force and contributes to a higher lift-to-drag ratio. Altering the propeller’s installation position along the chordwise direction of the channel wing significantly influences its aerodynamic performance. Finally, the channel wing configuration was applied to a lifting-fuselage tandem-wing drone. A comparison with the conventional forward propeller configuration demonstrated that the drone with the channel wing achieves a higher lift-to-drag ratio, with a maximum value of 18.6. Compared with “forward propeller” configuration, the lift-to-drag ratio exhibits an improvement of 97.8% under the optimal configuration.