Design and advanced computational investigations on fixed wing unmanned amphibious vehicle adopted with hybrid NIHT and PVEH patches for long endurance-based applications

This study applies renewable energy-based induction to key components of sophisticated ornithopter unmanned amphibious vehicles (OUAVs). The flying fish-inspired natural drone and its avionics systems might survive longer than usual through this proposed hybrid energy extraction concept. The planned OUAV’s fuselage, wing, and stabilizers incorporate piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting patches for renewable energy-based induction. The distinctive fuselage, stabilizers, propellers, and flapping wing of an OUAV are modeled in 3D EXPERIENCE using analytical approach. The computational and verified analytical formulae-based integrative approach has been imposed for energy calculation. The working environments of this proposed OUAV are used as a primary estimator of boundary conditions for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigations. The OUAV’s key components’ aerodynamic and hydrodynamic pressures, velocities, and forces were estimated using CFD. For five lightweight materials, computational vibrational assessments on the OUAV’s primary components have been done to determine free vibrational frequencies. All computations are done with ANSYS Workbench. Finally, a verified analytical method estimates fuselage and flapping wing energy extractions. Given the significant energy generation, a lightweight material for OUAV construction is suggested. The frontal OUAV also has an innovative nature-inspired hydro-turbine for high-energy extractions. Additionally, this hydro-turbine provides upward forces for both environments that help the OUAV to manage its various maneuverings. A maximum of 19.5% lift generation and a minimum of 0.6% lift output are possible in an aerodynamic environment. Maximum lift output in a hydrodynamic environment is 100%, while minimum production of lift is 50%.