Aerodynamic Performance Comparison of Airfoils in Flying Wing UAV

The aim of the study is to investigate how the choice of airfoil affects the aerodynamic characteristics of a flying wing UAV. For this purpose, comparative analyzes were performed for four different airfoils: MH60, TL54, Eppler 339, and TsAGI 12%. Given the maximum range performance (maximum lift /drag ratio), the best aerodynamic efficiency is given by the flying wing UAV with MH60 and TL54 airfoil. Based on their maximum lift-to-drag ratio, the flying wing UAVs made with MH60 and TL54 airfoils exhibited the best aerodynamic efficiency. Specifically, the maximum lift-to-drag ratio for the flying wing with the MH60 airfoil was 33.1, while that for the flying wing with the TL54 airfoil was 32.7. Considering the pitching moment coefficient, the flying wing made with the MH60 airfoil and TsAGI 12% exhibited a more stable characteristic than the TL54 and Eppler 339 airfoils. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the flying wing UAVs made with the TL54 and MH60 airfoils outperformed those made with the Eppler 339 and TsAGI 12% airfoils in terms of maximum range, minimum descent rate, and maximum endurance performance.