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PROJECT 02 / AVIATION DESIGN

RC Aircraft Design & Development.

Designed and developed a radio controlled aircraft with a four person engineering team, focusing on maximizing speed while meeting design constraints. My responsibilities included simulation and engineering analysis, supporting the design, testing, and development of the aircraft.

Aircraft Design XFLR5 SolidWorks Structural Analysis
01 / PROJECT OVERVIEW

Project Goals.

01

Design & Build

Successfully design, test, build, and fly an RC aircraft.

02

Maximize Speed

Push for maximum aircraft speed while meeting all design constraints.

03

Team Collaboration

Improve team communication and coordination throughout development.

04

Engineering Application

Advance our understanding of aerospace engineering fundamentals.

02 / AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION

Aircraft Specifications.

Overall aircraft dimensions and configuration.

WINGSPAN 47.4 in
FUSELAGE LENGTH 38.58 in
AIRCRAFT MASS 63.5 oz

1,800 grams

THRUST-TO-WEIGHT RATIO 1.04
Complete RC aircraft CAD assembly showing the fuselage, wings, tail, and landing gear
Full aircraft CAD assembly
03 / AERODYNAMIC DESIGN

Airfoil Analysis - NACA 2412.

01 AIRFOIL GEOMETRY

NACA 2412

  • Chord length7 inches
  • Airfoil thickness12%
02 AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE

XFLR5 Analysis

The NACA 2412 airfoil was selected for its strong lift and low drag characteristics within the aircraft's operating range.

  • Test speed 110 mph
  • Test speed 230 mph
  • Test speed 380 mph

The airfoil performed consistently throughout the tested speed ranges.

NACA 2412 airfoil profile
NACA 2412 airfoil geometry
XFLR5 lift coefficient versus drag coefficient performance graph
XFLR5 aerodynamic performance analysis
04 / STRUCTURAL DESIGN

Wing Design & Analysis.

01 STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

Wing Strength

  • Design load50 N (2G)
  • Wing supportAluminum spar
  • YieldingNone under expected loads
  • Factor of safety2.83

The wing was designed to withstand the expected loading conditions, with an aluminum spar providing additional structural support.

02 WING CONFIGURATION

Wing Geometry

  • Wing positionLow wing
  • Dihedral angle5°

The 5 degree dihedral configuration was incorporated to contribute to roll stability and increased lift.

Structural stress analysis of the aircraft wing
Wing stress analysis
Structural deflection analysis of the aircraft wing
Wing deflection analysis
05 / AIRFRAME DESIGN

Fuselage Design.

01 MATERIALS

Material Selection

  • Primary structureBalsa plywood
  • Motor mountAluminum
  • Additional components3D-printed PLA
02 DESIGN FEATURES

Fuselage Configuration

  • Body geometryCircular fuselage
  • Structural featureAluminum angle
  • Weight distributionCounterweights for CG
  • Propulsion supportMotor mount
Full-length CAD model of the aircraft fuselage
Fuselage structural model
Circular fuselage frame rings and internal structural supports
Fuselage frame construction
Internal fuselage assembly showing installed components
Internal component layout
Front view of the aircraft motor mount assembly
Motor mount assembly
Detailed CAD view of the motor mount
Motor mount detail
06 / STABILITY & CONTROL

Empennage - V-Tail.

01 GEOMETRY & DIMENSIONS

45° V-Tail

  • Tail airfoilNACA 0012
  • Length per stabilizer6 inches
  • Chord5 inches
  • Area per surface30 in²
  • Total V-tail area60 in²
02 DESIGN PERFORMANCE

V-Tail Configuration

  • Reduced aerodynamic drag
  • Lower overall weight
  • Combines pitch and yaw control
  • Provides surface area for stability
CAD assembly of the aircraft's 45-degree V-tail stabilizers
45° V-tail assembly
07 / PROPULSION SYSTEM

Propulsion & Performance.

01 PROPULSION HARDWARE

Power System

  • PropellerAPC-E 9 x 7.5, 2-blade
  • MotorCobra C-3510/16
  • Motor KV1200
  • Electronic speed controller40A ESC
  • ESC connectors3.5 mm bullet plugs
  • Battery2200 mAh, 11.1 V Li-Po
02 RECORDED SPEED

Aircraft Speed

65.2 MPH
  • Unloaded speed65.2 mph
  • Loaded speed65.2 mph
  • Metric equivalent105 km/h
08 / BUILD & FLIGHT TESTING

From Design to Flight.

RC Aircraft Flight Testing

Designed. Analyzed. Built. Flown.

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