An Evaluation on Landing Gear Configurations of Fixed-Wing, Rotary-Wing, and Hybrid UAVs

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are applied in many civil and military operation areas due to their availability and cost-efficient operational capabilities. The take-off and landing methods chosen for an aircraft depend on its operational design requirements. There are various types of UAV configurations under the main groups of fixed wings, rotary wings, and hybrid categories. These different configurations offer specific operational and technical advantages that make each configuration unique for the aimed application. In this chapter, landing gear configurations of fixed wing, rotary wing, and hybrid UAVs were assessed. The components and design selections were evaluated. The rule of right thumb design and sizing data was provided for configurations along with UAVs designed by authors. Also, phenomena such as tail strike and overturn were explained with resultant parameters.