Group 3 – Silver Surfer

Team Members

Sabrina Vehec, Joshua Khouri, Chandler Leblanc, Devin Pryor, Gabriel Espinoza Lemos, Giancarlo Grieco, Juan Rodriguez, Thomas Vetter, Zhane McCleod

Abstract

The overall goal of this project was to design and build an RC aircraft. It had to have good flight performance, be affordable, and have practical manufacturing. To generate initial estimations for our aircraft, the product specifications were researched and averaged from multiple RC aircraft with similar capabilities on the market. These values were used in conjunction with trade studies to select our airfoils and their corresponding measurements. The program xflr5 was used to test the wings with different properties under flight conditions and at stall speed, which resulted in us choosing a NACA2412 airfoil with a 0.4 taper ratio, 3.869° root-tip sweep, mid-wing configuration, and cut tip configuration. A structural analysis was also performed on the wing to determine a maximum bending stress of 15.8 MPa, which doesn’t exceed the yield stress for our material and factor of safety. After more research into RC aircraft design, a fuselage similar to the Cessna 152 aircraft was selected, along with the dimensions of our control surfaces, a tricycle landing gear configuration, the propulsion system, and a NACA0012 airfoil for the horizontal and vertical tails. A stability and control analysis was then performed, and our aircraft design proved to be statically and dynamically stable. It was then time to 3D print our parts, assemble them, and complete a test flight.

Pitch Video

3D Interactive Product Model

The following is an interactive 3D model of the product design. You can view and rotate the product assembly in different orientations and views, including an exploded view to see the various parts that make up the assembly.