Yıldız Aydemir E., Oktay T.
Journal of Material Sciences and Engineering Technology, cilt.3, sa.4, ss.1-7, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)
Özet
In this study, the aerodynamic performance of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is investigated
through the application of both active and passive flow control techniques. Passive control is achieved via vortex generators, while
active control is implemented using blowing methods. A novel UAV design incorporating both strategies has been developed, and
multiple configurations have been evaluated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The main objective of this work
is to enhance the overall flight performance of the UAV by delaying flow separation, controlling the boundary layer, and increasing
aerodynamic efficiency. Various geometrical and operational parameters such as blowing magnitude, speed, angle, location and shape
and size of the blowing area, as well as the shape, size and placement of the vortex generators were explored. In the first stage, each of
these parameters was individually implemented and tested on the VTOL UAV design to assess its influence on aerodynamic performance.
In addition, various combinations of these parameters were systematically investigated to evaluate their interactive effects and overall
contribution to flow control efficiency. Preliminary results demonstrate that the integrated use of active and passive methods significantly
improves aerodynamic performance, especially in transition regimes and low-speed operations. The proposed research provides important
scientific insight contributions to the aerodynamic optimization of modern VTOL UAVs.