Corrugated Airfoil Shape Effect on Aerodynamic Efficiency of a 3D Printed Remote Control Plane

Abstract

Early wind tunnel experiments and subsequent studies have shown that corrugated wings offer comparable or superior aerodynamic efficiency to smooth wings, with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) confirming these benefits. However, the effects of turbulence on these designs and their practical application to Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) has yet to be thoroughly tested. A two-part experimental method involving CFD analysis and flight time tests was employed to evaluate the impact of various corrugated wing designs on the performance of an MAV, with a smooth airfoil as a control, aiming to measure aerodynamic efficiency through lift-to-drag ratios and flight times. The experiment found that that there was no significant correlation between lift-to-drag ratios and total flight times, though a minor positive correlation existed between flight times and speed and minor negative correlation with flight times and mass, and a moderately strong inverse correlation was found between speed and mass. The study found that corrugated airfoils generally can improve aerodynamic efficiency, though results varied significantly, indicating that not all corrugated designs are equally beneficial. Further, while CFD analysis showed inconsistencies compared to previous studies, it highlighted that the turbulent atmospheric layer impacts real-world aerodynamic performance, suggesting that CFD alone may not reliably predict flight efficiency of corrugated wings.