Comprehensive Study of Aerodynamic Forces in a Small Fixed Wing UAV Using Open-Source Software: Case of Study for High Andean Wetland Monitoring

This study presents an aerodynamic assessment of a low-cost fixed-wing UAV designed for high Andean wetland monitoring. The UAV was tested using two different wingspans and evaluated under a representative monitoring mission. The numerical simulations were conducted using an open-source framework that employed the k-omega SST and Spalart-Allmaras turbulence models. The study found that the k-omega SST model was more suitable for capturing the effects of rotational and curvature-induced turbulence, which are critical factors in the flight dynamics of the UAV. The performance of the UAV was found to be greatly influenced by its angle of attack, wingspan, and aerodynamic effects due to its wing-fuselage integration. The study highlights the potential benefits of using open-source software to conduct aerodynamic studies of UAVs, which could help to reduce design costs and software black-box structure dependence. In future work, the aerodynamic assessment will be coupled with a structural analysis tool to check the suitability of the design developed.