03.2 - Experimental Aerodynamics
EXPLORING WINGTIP COLUMNAR VORTEX GENERATORS FOR UAV PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT
R. Bardera¹, A.A. Rodríguez-Sevillano², J.C. Matías¹, E. Barroso¹, M. Ojeda², J. Fernández²; ¹Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA)., Spain ;²Escuela Técnica Superior de ingeniería Aeronáutica y del Espacio, Spain
Efficient aerial vehicles operations depend on minimizing fuel consumption and enhancing aerodynamic efficiency. In this pursuit, the development of wingtip devices emerges as the adopted solution. Leveraging insights from prior studies, this paper investigates the use of innovative prototypes of wingtip device based on passive flow control technology of Columnar Vortex Generators (CVGs) to improve Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operational capabilities. Consequently, three different wingtip device configurations are designed and tested in the wind tunnel of the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) to examine their aerodynamic efficiency through Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements. Finally, a comparative analysis of the results is presented to demonstrate the benefits offered by each wingtip device, facilitating a comprehensive understanding of their relative advantage.