DESIGN, OPTIMIZATION AND FABRICATION OF UAV WING

Abstract

All across the globe, reduction in the use of Energy is becoming a necessity by each passing day. As fossil fuel reserves are depleting and demand of energy is increasing, so weight reduction is the technique to lower the energy consumption. The prime and foremost objective of this project is design, optimization, and fabrication of a UAV wing, where weight reduction is done by replacing ribs by hexagonal lattice structure while maintaining structural integrity to produce a fully functional prototype. Two types of research were conducted; primary research includes Market Survey, Experimental Data and Consultation with Experts and secondary research which contains Research Papers, Journals and Online libraries, were employed to discern the significance of achieving this project. Extensive research is conducted along with relevant calculations (Load Calculation) to define the design specifications. Using these specifications, a 3D model of a UAV wing is developed employing solid modeling computer aided design software i.e SOLIDWORKS. Then the structural analysis is carried out using Finite Element Method Tools. The internal structure is replaced by lattice using Ntop and the model is optimized by changing lattice dimensions and FEA. The fabrication of UAV wings commenced through printing by 3-D Printer. In the end, experimental testing to check the stability of the developed wing is performed through wind tunnel and the results are documented.