Investigation of Propeller Performance Using QBlade: A Benchmark Study

This study investigates the aerodynamic performance of fixed-pitch propellers using QBlade, an open-source simulation tool based on Blade Element Momentum (BEM) theory. Four commercial APC propellers—6 × 4, 6 × 5, 8 × 4, and 8 × 5—are analyzed across a range of advance ratios. The study aims to evaluate QBlade’s effectiveness in estimating performance parameters such as thrust coefficient, power coefficient, and propeller efficiency. Experimental data from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) propeller database are used for validation. Results show that QBlade can effectively predict performance trends, with reasonable agreement observed between numerical and experimental values. The effect of propeller diameter and pitch on aerodynamic performance is discussed thoroughly.