The work summarized in this report aims to investigate how a drone airplane design can be optimized to create a safer and more efficient sea rescue by providing staff with an early picture, performing search missions and aiding communication through visual contact. A flying wing is in theory one of the most efficient designs for a fixed wing aircraft, at the same time as it also offers high structural efficiency for its given size. In this report, an overview of aerodynamics, stability and flying quality for a flying wing is discussed and analysed. XFLR5 was used for this project, and a comparison between the analytical results and wind tunnel test data for a prototype was conducted. A strong correlation was found between the theoretical analyses and the wind tunnel data. A simple control solution using only one set of elevons has been proposed and simulated, resulting in Level 1 dynamic stability for all modes except Dutch-roll (where the drone’s damping is 𝜁𝑑𝑟=0.07 and the requirement for Level 1 is 𝜁𝑑𝑟=0.08). For the range of angle of attack used, the autopilot system will have to trim the drone in flight to achieve stability. As the drone only has one set of control surfaces there will be a loss of efficiency in this scenario, meaning that 𝐶𝐿/𝐶𝐷 = 15.7 for loiter speed of 15 𝑚/𝑠 and 7.9 for full speed at 35 𝑚/𝑠. In regular flight, with a total mass <1 𝑘𝑔, the drone is able to fly at full speed for 214 𝑘𝑚 or loiter for 6.3 ℎ with a battery package of 130 𝑊ℎ. As such, the objective of this project was achieved, and the proposed design met the given requirements. / betet som sammanfattas i denna rapport syftar till att undersöka huruvida ett drönar-flygplan bäst kan utformas för att skapa en säkrare och effektivare sjöräddning genom att ge räddningspersonalen en tidig överblick, utföra sökuppdrag och bistå till kommunikation genom visuell kontakt. En flygande vinge är i teorin en av de mest effektiva konstruktionerna för ett flygplan, likaså erbjuder den en hög strukturell effektivitet för en given storlek. I denna rapport diskuteras och genomförs en översikt över aerodynamik, stabilitet och flygkvalitet hos en flygande vinge. XFLR5 användes för detta projekt, och en jämförelse mellan analysresultaten och ett vindtunneltest med en prototyp genomfördes. I allmänhet är överenskommelsen mellan de teoretiska analyserna och vindtunneldatan god. En enkel lösning som enbart består av en uppsättning kontrollytor har föreslagits och simulerats, vilket resulterar i en Nivå 1 dynamisk stabilitet för alla lägen utom Dutch-roll, där drönarens dämpning är 𝜁𝑑𝑟 = 0.07 och kravet för Nivå 1 är 𝜁𝑑𝑟 = 0.08. Autopilotsystemet behöver trimma drönaren under flygning för att uppnå nödvändig stabilitet för det spann av attackvinklar som används, med endast en uppsättning kontrollytor, vilket minskar effektiviteten för BWB-drönaren till 𝐶𝐿/𝐶𝐷=15.7 för cirkuleringshastigheten på 15 𝑚/𝑠 och 7.9 för full hastighet vid 35 𝑚/𝑠. Drönaren kan flyga i full hastighet i 214 𝑘𝑚 eller cirkulera runt olycksplatsen under 6.3 timmar med ett batteripaket på 130 𝑊ℎ, med en vikt som är lägre än 1 𝑘𝑔. Målen med detta projekt uppnåddes och drönaren utformades enligt kraven.

A handling quality investigation was performed on the swept gull-wing configuration. The swept gull-wing configuration is tailless and has a wing with a transition in the sweep and dihedral angle. An example of this type of aircraft is the Exulans. This aircraft is currently under development at the University of Pretoria. The handling quality study was focussed on pitch axis dynamics. The Exulans is a research testbed that will be used to investigate the swept gull-wing configuration and its special controls by means of full-scale flight testing. Variable wing sweep, twisting elevons and winglets will be investigated as means of control. These control devices are configured in such a way as to have minimum impact on the performance of the aircraft. The handling qualities of the swept gull-wing configuration have to be acceptable while using these different control strategies. The study was launched to investigate whether a gull-wing configuration aircraft will have satisfactory handling qualities at CG positions associated with the most favourable aerodynamic performance. There is an aerodynamic performance gain in designing an aircraft so that the CG falls on the so-called `E-point'. The E-point is the centre of pressure for an elliptical circulation distribution. An elliptical circulation distribution is associated with the highest Oswald efficiency for an aircraft. Time domain simulation techniques and frequency domain analysis techniques were used to analyse the handling qualities of the gull-wing configuration. The C-star criterion was used to analyse handling qualities with time domain simulation data as input. Comparative time domain simulations were performed between the Exulans and other aircraft to compare handling qualities. Eigenvalue analysis was used together with the thumbprint criterion to investigate inherent gull-wing airframe dynamics. The Shomber-Gertsen and Military Specification 8785 criteria were also used for the same purpose. The Neal-Smith method was used to investigate the effect of control authority on handling qualities and the effect of a pilot. The Monnich and Dalldorff criterion was used to evaluate gust handling qualities. An analysis chart by Fremaux and Vairo was used to evaluate the tumbling susceptibility of the gull-wing configuration. The pitch handling quality investigation shows sufficient promise that the swept gull-wing configuration will have acceptable handling qualities with the CG placed at positions associated with optimised aerodynamic performance. Analysis showed that the swept gull-wing configuration is potentially prone to tumbling. With low static margins, the configuration should exhibit improved handling qualities in gusty conditions when compared to existing tailless aircraft. It is recommended that a lateral handling quality study be performed before full scale flight testing commences on the Exulans. In addition, the possibility of wingtip stall must be investigated for the case of the swept gull-wing configuration. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted