Aerodynamic Performances of Paper Planes

Abstract

Paper plane has a high potential to be upgraded as a Micro Air Vehicle (MAV). Due to its simplicity, paper plane offers easier design option compared to the biological inspired designs as shown in recent MAV development. However, researchers have underestimate and overlook the basic aerodynamic performance induced by these paper planes. This is due to its common usage as toys and wide range of paper plane design. Thus, the objective for current work is to analyse and compare the aerodynamics forces and its performance for selected paper plane design known as Glider, Wide Stunt Glider Plane and Stunt plane. A series of CFD simulations on each paper plane was executed by using ANSYS-CFX module. A steady state, incompressible flow Navier-Stokes equation (RANS) combined with Shear Stress Turbulence (SST) model were used in this works to solve flow problem over the paper planes. The analysis is mainly conducted to study and compare the lift coefficient (CD), drag coefficient (CD) and aerodynamic efficiency (CD/CD) performances for each paper planes. The CD results show that the Glider paper plane has managed to produce better CD performances in terms overall CD magnitude, stall angle, wider angle of attack (α) envelope and higher maximum lift coefficient magnitude compared to the other paper plane design. However, Glider paper plane has the least CD distributions by producing at least 14.3% larger CD magnitude compared to the other plane design at certain α region. Instead, The Wide Stunt has promisingly produced better CD distribution by producing lower CD value compared to the other plane design. Based on CD/CD performance, the Wide Stunt paper plane has produced better CD/CD and maximum aerodynamic efficiency (CD/CDCD max) magnitudes compared to the other design. Wide Stunt paper plane induced at least 6.4% better CD/CDCD max magnitude compared to the other paper plane design. Based on these results, it can be concluded that Wide Stunt paper plane has promising advantages which are very crucial for the paper plane especially during hovering operation, take-off, and landing manoeuvre.