Tiltrotor Blade Parametric Design Study from an Aerodynamic Perspective and its Validation

This paper presents a parametric framework for the aerodynamic optimization of an electric tiltrotor blade. The framework integrates a custom blade element momentum (BEMT) based rotor performance calculation tool with built-in vortex-ring corrections and empirical adjustments, and is validated using high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Blade geometries are systematically generated using a conceptual modeling tool by varying key design parameters (such as rotor diameter, rotational speed, solidity, twist distribution, and airfoil family). Their effects on hover lift, cruise propulsive performance, and associated trade-offs are then analyzed. The optimized blade design achieves superior performance in both vertical lift and forward flight. Sensitivity analyses reveal that a moderate tip speed reduces induced power losses, aligning solidity with blade loading maximizes efficiency, and a tailored negative twist enhances hover capability with only minor penalties during cruise. The proposed methodology is scalable to various rotorcraft platforms and mission profiles, and can be extended through multidisciplinary optimization for fully integrated aircraft configurations.