Airfoil selection for fixed wing of small unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

Vietnam has become a new market for small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (SUAVs). In the case of SUAVs, the airfoil plays a crucial role in generating lift. This paper presents an approach using opensource/free software to evaluate and choose the airfoil for aircraft designs and suggests a set of criteria used to evaluate the airfoils. The method mentioned in this research can help designers of fixed wing of SUAVs in selecting the most appropriate airfoil from various sources. The obtained airfoil can be modified afterwards for the best performance.