Aerodynamic Studies of Micro Air Vehicles

Abstract : The program at Arizona State University (ASU) consisted of complementary experimental, computational, and flight-test elements that examined the aerodynamics of Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs). All these components supported the actual design of our MAV, called MAVRIC (Micro Aerial Vehicle Research Initiative and Competition) and which competed for two years against other university teams. MAVs are characterized by low operating chord Reynolds numbers and thus present challenges in viscous aerodynamics. Our studies focused on the effects on performance of different wing-body-juncture and wing-tip designs. MAV aerodynamics is strongly affected by the wing-tip vortices which extend over a significant amount of span. Blending the wing and fuselage and adding winglets provided a reduction in the extent of these vortices as well as a refocusing of them away from the lifting surface.