Multi-perspective structural integrity-based computational investigations on airframe of Gyrodyne-configured multi-rotor UAV through coupled CFD and FEA approaches for various lightweight sandwich composites and alloys

Abstract

As this unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has a planned airframe that can carry a 25 kg payload, understanding its structural capabilities, such as its compressive and tensile strengths under different situations, is essential. For the purpose of comprehending the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) of the fuselage, this study designs and analyses the lightweight materials used in the airframe of a complex Gyrodyne UAV. A computer model of a composite airframe for a Gyrodyne UAV is built to examine its durability. An essential factor in the aircraft business is minimizing unnecessary weight, and this FSI study emphasizes the importance of sandwiches and their hybrid combinations in this regard. After the material finalization, around 140 material combinations are tested using an advanced computational composite platform, in which four different lightweight material families are implemented. The fluid load (pressure) is imported into ANSYS workbench 17.2, and the structural airframe is then solved according to the boundary conditions of the application domain. Also, experimental experiments using the high-speed jet facility are run to verify computational improvements. Materials for the airframe of the Gyrodyne UAV have been narrowed down to a final list of contenders. As the work focuses on the FSI analysis, not much computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results were discussed here. Only the imported pressure from the CFD analysis was imposed on to the Gyrodyne UAV to proceed for the FSI analysis.