Low-altitude low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with sweepforward wing configuration and wing body fusion layout

Abstract

The utility model discloses a low-altitude and low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a sweepforward wing configuration and a wing body fusion layout. The low-altitude and low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle comprises main wings, a fuselage and an empennage, the main wing adopts a forward swept wing structure, so that spanwise flow is effectively weakened, and the wingtip airflow speed is increased; the main wings and the fuselage adopt a wing body fusion layout, redundant connecting mechanisms are reduced, the lift force of the unmanned aerial vehicle is effectively improved, turbulence is weakened, the lift-drag ratio is increased, and aerodynamic load distribution is improved; the fuselage is provided with a cabin and an equipment mounting platform, can be used for carrying power, control and monitoring equipment, and is suitable for various task requirements; the empennage is fixedly connected to the rear end of the fuselage; the main wing is provided with a motor and an aileron; the empennage is provided with a horizontal tail and vertical tails, the vertical tails are fixedly connected to two sides of the horizontal tail, and the rear ends of the horizontal tail and the vertical tails are hinged to an elevator and a rudder. The low-speed aerodynamic performance of the unmanned aerial vehicle is effectively improved, the aerodynamic load layout of the unmanned aerial vehicle is optimized, and the maneuverability and the loading capacity of the unmanned aerial vehicle are remarkably improved. The utility model is applied to the technical field of aircraft structures.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of aircraft structure technology, specifically to a low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout. Background Technology

[0002] Low-altitude, low-speed fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have significant application value in scenarios such as military reconnaissance, disaster monitoring, and agricultural plant protection. These UAVs need to perform long-duration operations and low-speed cruise missions in complex terrain or confined airspace, making the coordinated optimization of their aerodynamic performance and lightweight structure particularly crucial. However, the design experience of traditional UAV aerodynamic layouts is mainly based on medium- and high-speed flight conditions, and directly transferring it to low-speed scenarios will expose significant shortcomings.

[0003] Traditional UAVs mostly employ swept-wing or straight-wing configurations, exhibiting stability at medium to high speeds, but exhibiting significant drawbacks at low speeds. While swept-wing configurations improve high-speed flight stability, at low speeds and high angles of attack, airflow over the wing surface tends to flow towards the wingtips, leading to premature wingtip stall and a significant drop in lift-to-drag ratio. To compensate for lift loss, wingspan or power output often needs to be increased, resulting in increased structural weight and limiting range and payload capacity. While straight-wing designs improve low-speed lift through a high aspect ratio, their resistance to turbulence is weak, making them susceptible to attitude instability affected by airflow disturbances during flight. Furthermore, high-aspect-ratio wings suffer from significant structural redundancy, making it difficult to achieve lightweight objectives. In addition, the separate fuselage and wing structure of traditional UAVs easily generates aerodynamic interference at the wing-body junction, creating localized turbulence and further reducing overall lift efficiency. Simultaneously, mechanical connections lead to structural redundancy, exacerbating stress concentration and limiting maneuverability and payload capacity.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, existing improvement solutions attempt to introduce forward-swept wing configurations or blended wing-body layouts. Forward-swept wings optimize spanwise flow characteristics through leading-edge tilting, increasing wingtip airflow velocity and delaying stall, thus enhancing aileron effectiveness. However, forward-swept wings are susceptible to aeroelastic divergence under complex operating conditions, requiring high-strength composite materials or active control technologies to suppress vibrations, leading to a surge in cost and weight, making them unsuitable for low-cost, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms. Blended wing-body layouts, on the other hand, eliminate physical connection interfaces through an integrated lifting body design, reducing interference drag and optimizing aerodynamic load distribution. However, simply adopting this layout requires additional structural frame reinforcement to compensate for stiffness loss, making it difficult to simultaneously achieve lightweight design goals.

[0005] The core challenge in the design of low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) lies in how to improve the lift-to-drag ratio while suppressing aeroelastic deformation, and how to achieve a balance between lightweight design and high maneuverability. A single technological approach is insufficient to overcome the bottlenecks of multidisciplinary coupling; therefore, innovative configuration combinations and structural collaborative design are urgently needed to achieve performance leaps. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout, so as to solve the problems that traditional low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicles are prone to airflow separation and sudden stall at low speed and high angle of attack, as well as the problems that traditional wing-body separation structures cause excessive turbulence, uneven aerodynamic load distribution, and low lift-to-drag ratio.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0008] A low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout includes a main wing 1, ailerons 1-2, a fuselage 2, and a tail 3. A nose cone 2-3 is inserted into the front end of the fuselage 2, and the fuselage 2 and the main wing 1 form a blended wing-body layout. The main wing 1 has a forward-swept wing configuration. Two motors 1-1 are installed on the main wing 1, symmetrically arranged with respect to the fuselage 2, and mounted on the front end of the main wing 1 on the left and right sides. The ailerons 1-2 are hinged to the outside of the main wing 1. The tail 3 is located at the rear of the fuselage 2 and consists of a horizontal stabilizer 3-1 and a vertical stabilizer 3-2. The horizontal stabilizer 3-1 is placed horizontally, and the vertical stabilizer 3-2 is vertically fixed to both sides of the horizontal stabilizer 3-1. An elevator 3-3 is hinged to the rear of the horizontal stabilizer 3-1, and a rudder 3-4 is hinged to the rear of the vertical stabilizer 3-2.

[0009] The main wing 1, with a forward-swept wing configuration, has a forward sweep angle of 17 degrees with the quarter chord line as the reference line. The airfoil is NACA4412, and it has wing strakes 1-4 symmetrically distributed relative to the fuselage. The main wing 1 is supported by a main wing web and strake combination spars 1-3, and uses linden wood ribs covered with EPO heat-shrinkable skin. A motor base plate is installed at the front end of the main wing 1, and the motor 1-1 is fixed to it with screws.

[0010] The specific structure of the fuselage 2 and the main wing 1 forming a blended wing-body layout is as follows: the fuselage 2 adopts a lifting body design, the thickness of the fuselage 2 gradually decreases to the thickness of the wing root of the main wing 1 on both the left and right sides, and the main wing 1 and the fuselage 2 are smoothly connected together.

[0011] The fuselage 2 is supported by two carbon fiber rods in the longitudinal direction and two carbon fiber rods 2-4 that penetrate the fuselage in the transverse direction. The two carbon fiber rods 2-4 that penetrate the fuselage are respectively embedded in the main wings 1 on both sides. A carbon fiber rod layered composite beam is installed at the rear end of the fuselage 2 and is fixedly connected to the tail 3. A cabin 2-1 is provided above and below the fuselage 2, and the cabin 2-1 is provided with a removable hatch. An equipment mounting platform 2-2 is provided on the lower exterior.

[0012] The horizontal stabilizer 3-1 is a rectangular horizontal stabilizer with an airfoil of NACA0012, made of linden wood plywood, and supported by a combination of tail wing web and wing spars 3-5. The vertical stabilizer 3-2 is a flat wing made of linden wood plywood. The elevator 3-3 is made of polystyrene composite carbon fiber rods, and the rudder 3-4 is made of linden wood plywood.

[0013] The main wing 1 is connected to the aileron 1-2 via an embedded servo motor, which controls the deflection of the aileron 1-2; the horizontal stabilizer 3-1 and the vertical stabilizer 3-2 are connected to the rudder 3-4 and the elevator 3-3 via embedded servo motors, which control the deflection of the corresponding control surfaces respectively.

[0014] An airspeed meter is installed at the front nose 2-3 of the fuselage 2 to detect the airspeed of the drone; a GNSS positioning device is installed at the rear of the fuselage 2 to obtain the time and location of the drone.

[0015] A detachable skid is installed below the fuselage 2 to increase friction with the ground after landing.

[0016] The fuselage 2 uses linden wood plywood material, and the surface is covered with balsa wood shell covered with EPO heat-shrink skin.

[0017] The fuselage 2 and the tail fin 3 are fastened together with nylon screws.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, this utility model has achieved significant technological progress through technical means, and the specific beneficial effects are as follows:

[0019] 1. This utility model effectively weakens the spanwise flow of airflow, enhances the airflow velocity at the wingtip, increases the lift of the wing, suppresses wingtip stall, and enhances the energy efficiency of the aileron by adopting a forward-swept wing configuration main wing; the forward-swept wing configuration main wing avoids premature airflow separation, reduces vortex generation, lowers the lift-to-drag ratio, effectively improves the aerodynamic performance of the UAV, and significantly enhances the maneuverability of low-altitude, low-speed UAVs.

[0020] 2. This utility model eliminates airflow interference at the wing-body junction by adopting a blended wing-body layout, thereby improving lift and optimizing aerodynamic load distribution. The blended wing-body layout of the main wing and fuselage reduces redundant connecting parts at the wing-body junction, reduces stress concentration, lowers manufacturing difficulty, reduces airframe weight, and increases endurance and carrying capacity.

[0021] 3. This utility model uses carbon fiber and linden wood composite beams embedded in the main wing of the fuselage. Carbon fiber is lightweight and has high strength and elasticity, with good mechanical properties, which can significantly improve the strength of the airframe, expand the safe range of the UAV's maneuverability, and achieve a lightweight design for the UAV, improving the strength of the airframe without significantly increasing the weight of the UAV. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. These drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external appearance of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the wing structure of this utility model.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fuselage structure of this utility model.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the fuselage structure of this utility model.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the tail structure of this utility model.

[0029] Reference numerals: Main wing 1, motor 1-1, aileron 1-2, main wing web and wing spar combination 1-3, wing strake 1-4, fuselage 2, cabin 2-1, upper forward cabin 2-1-1, upper rear cabin 2-1-2, lower cabin 2-1-3, equipment mounting platform 2-2, nose 2-3, carbon fiber rod penetrating the fuselage 2-4, tail 3, horizontal stabilizer 3-1, vertical stabilizer 3-2, elevator 3-3, rudder 3-4, tail web and wing spar combination 3-5. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments to make it easier for engineers to understand. It is understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention. The specific embodiments described herein are some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without making further inventive changes are protected by the present invention.

[0031] In one specific embodiment, see [reference] Figures 1-6 This utility model provides a low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout, including a main wing 1, ailerons 1-2, a fuselage 2, and a tail 3; a head 2-3 is inserted into the front end of the fuselage 2, and the fuselage 2 and the main wing 1 form a blended wing-body layout; the main wing 1 has a forward-swept wing configuration; motors 1-1 are installed on the main wing 1, and two motors 1-1 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the fuselage 2 and installed at the front end of the main wing 1 on the left and right sides; the ailerons 1-2 are hinged to the outside of the main wing 1; the tail 3 is located at the rear of the fuselage 2 and consists of a horizontal stabilizer 3-1 and a vertical stabilizer 3-2. The horizontal stabilizer 3-1 is placed horizontally, and the vertical stabilizer 3-2 is vertically fixed to both sides of the horizontal stabilizer 3-1. An elevator 3-3 is hinged to the rear of the horizontal stabilizer 3-1, and a rudder 3-4 is hinged to the rear of the vertical stabilizer 3-2.

[0032] Furthermore, the main wing 1, with a forward-swept wing configuration, has a forward-swept angle of 17 degrees with the quarter chord line as the reference line, which is coordinated with the overall aerodynamic layout of the UAV to ensure the maneuverability and controllability of the UAV. The airfoil is NACA4412, and it has wing strakes 1-4 that are symmetrically distributed relative to the fuselage, which helps to reduce the stall speed and improve the controllability of the UAV. The main wing 1 is supported by a combination of a main wing web and a strake spar 1-3, and uses linden wood ribs covered with EPO heat-shrinkable skin to balance the requirements of lightweight and structural strength. A motor base plate is installed at the front end of the main wing 1, and the motor 1-1 is fixed to it with screws.

[0033] Furthermore, the specific structure of the fuselage 2 and the main wing 1 forming a blended wing-body configuration is as follows: the fuselage 2 adopts a lifting body design, and its thickness gradually decreases to the thickness of the wing root of the main wing 1 towards both sides, with the main wing 1 and the fuselage 2 smoothly connected together. By adopting a blended wing-body configuration, the interference of the wing-body junction on airflow is eliminated, lift is increased, and aerodynamic load distribution is optimized. The blended wing-body configuration adopted by the main wing and fuselage reduces redundant connecting parts at the wing-body junction, reduces stress concentration, lowers manufacturing difficulty, reduces airframe weight, and increases endurance and carrying capacity.

[0034] Furthermore, the fuselage 2 is supported by two carbon fiber rods installed longitudinally and two carbon fiber rods 2-4 installed laterally through the fuselage. The two carbon fiber rods 2-4 are embedded in the main wings 1 on both sides to improve the structural strength of the UAV fuselage and wings. A carbon fiber rod layered composite beam is installed at the rear end of the fuselage 2 and is fixedly connected to the tail wing 3 to suppress torsional deformation of the fuselage 2 and the tail wing 3. A cabin 2-1 is provided above and below the fuselage 2, and the cabin 2-1 is equipped with a detachable hatch. An equipment mounting platform 2-2 is provided on the lower exterior, which can be combined with different loading or mounting equipment to expand the range of missions that the UAV can perform.

[0035] Furthermore, the horizontal stabilizer 3-1 is a rectangular horizontal stabilizer with an airfoil of NACA0012, made of linden wood plywood, and supported by a combination of tail wing web and wing spars 3-5. The vertical stabilizer 3-2 is a flat wing made of linden wood plywood, which improves the stability of the UAV. The elevator 3-3 is made of polystyrene composite carbon fiber rods, and the rudder 3-4 is made of linden wood plywood, which reduces the weight of the UAV tail wing 3.

[0036] Furthermore, the main wing 1 is connected to the aileron 1-2 via an embedded servo motor, which controls the deflection of the aileron 1-2 and controls the roll of the UAV; the horizontal stabilizer 3-1 and the vertical stabilizer 3-2 are connected to the rudder 3-4 and the elevator 3-3 via embedded servo motors, which respectively control the deflection of the corresponding control surfaces and control the flight direction and pitch attitude of the UAV.

[0037] Furthermore, the fuselage 2 uses linden wood plywood material, and the surface is covered with balsa wood shell covered with EPO heat-shrink skin, maintaining the aerodynamic shape of the drone while also ensuring its lightweight design.

[0038] Furthermore, the fuselage 2 and the tail fin 3 are fastened together with nylon screws to suppress the twisting of the horizontal stabilizer 3-1.

[0039] Furthermore, the motor (1-1) consists of a motor base, a motor body, a motor rotor, and a propeller. The motor base is fixed to the motor base plate of the main wing (1) with four bolts, and the motor rotor is fixed to the propeller with threads. The motor 1-1 provides thrust to the UAV by rotating.

[0040] Optionally, a 16.8V 4200mAh power battery is installed in the upper front compartment (2-1-1) of the cabin (2-1) to provide power for flight; a flight controller is installed in the upper rear compartment (2-1-2) of the cabin (2-1) to receive flight control commands and control each control surface through servos to control flight attitude and obtain better flight performance.

[0041] Optionally, a weapon system or airdrop system may be installed in the lower compartment (2-1-3) of the cabin (2-1) to enable it to perform related missions; an airspeed meter may be installed at the front nose (2-3) of the fuselage (2) to detect the airspeed of the UAV; and a GNSS positioning device may be installed at the rear of the fuselage (2) to obtain the time and location of the UAV.

[0042] Optionally, an aviation gimbal and optical equipment can be mounted on the equipment mounting platform (2-2) to enhance the UAV's ground situational awareness capability; a data transmission radio and digital imaging equipment can be mounted on the equipment mounting platform (2-2) to realize telemetry and control of the UAV.

[0043] Optionally, a detachable skid can be installed under the fuselage (2). The detachable skid can be used to increase the friction with the ground after landing, shorten the landing distance, and reduce the impact on the fuselage. The detachable design is conducive to timely replacement of worn skids, reducing the cost of the fuselage and extending the life of the UAV.

[0044] The working principle of this utility model is as follows:

[0045] Powered by the battery, the drive motor (1-1) rotates the propeller, generating airflow from the front to the rear and providing thrust to the UAV. The airflow passes through the main wing (1) and fuselage (2), generating lift for the UAV. By controlling the servo motor mounted on the main wing (1), the aileron (1-2) is deflected, controlling the UAV's roll attitude. By controlling the servo motor mounted on the horizontal stabilizer (3-1), the elevator (3-3) is controlled, controlling the UAV's pitch attitude. By controlling the servo motor mounted on the vertical stabilizer (3-2), the rudder (3-4) is controlled, controlling the UAV's yaw. The airflow speed is controlled by adjusting the speed of the motor (1-1), thus regulating the UAV's lift and thrust.

[0046] It is understood that the descriptions such as "a specific embodiment" and "optional" in this specification refer to the features of this utility model in a specific implementation example, and the described features can be combined in a variety of ways; the specific embodiments in this specification are only examples to help those skilled in the art understand this utility model, and are not intended to limit this utility model.

[0047] It is understood that the terms "front end", "rear end", "upper", "lower", "left", and "right" in this specification are only for simple description, and their directions are based on the directions shown in the accompanying drawings, and are not intended to limit this utility model.

Claims

1. A low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout, characterized in that: It includes a main wing (1), ailerons (1-2), fuselage (2) and tail (3); the front end of the fuselage (2) is connected to the nose (2-3), and the fuselage (2) and the main wing (1) form a blended wing-body layout; the main wing (1) has a forward-swept wing configuration; the main wing (1) is equipped with a motor (1-1), and two motors (1-1) are symmetrically arranged with respect to the fuselage (2) and installed at the front end of the main wing (1) on the left and right sides; the ailerons (1-2) are hinged to the outside of the main wing (1); the tail (3) is located at the tail of the fuselage (2) and consists of a horizontal stabilizer (3-1) and a vertical stabilizer (3-2). The horizontal stabilizer (3-1) is placed horizontally, and the vertical stabilizer (3-2) is vertically fixed to both sides of the horizontal stabilizer (3-1). The elevator (3-3) is hinged behind the horizontal stabilizer (3-1), and the rudder (3-4) is hinged behind the vertical stabilizer (3-2).

2. The low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main wing (1) with a forward-swept wing configuration has a forward sweep angle of 17 degrees with the quarter chord line as the reference line, and the airfoil is NACA4412. It has wing strakes (1-4) symmetrically distributed relative to the fuselage. The main wing (1) is supported by a main wing web and strake combination spars (1-3) and uses linden wood ribs covered with EPO heat-shrinkable skin. The front end of the main wing (1) is equipped with a motor base plate, and the motor (1-1) is fixed with screws.

3. The low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: The specific structure of the fuselage (2) and the main wing (1) forming a blended wing-body layout is as follows: the fuselage (2) adopts a lifting body design, the thickness of the fuselage (2) gradually decreases to the thickness of the wing root of the main wing (1) on both sides, and the main wing (1) and the fuselage (2) are smoothly connected together.

4. A low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fuselage (2) is supported by two carbon fiber rods in the longitudinal direction and two carbon fiber rods (2-4) that penetrate the fuselage in the transverse direction. The two carbon fiber rods (2-4) that penetrate the fuselage are respectively embedded in the main wings (1) on both sides. A carbon fiber rod layered composite beam is installed at the rear end of the fuselage (2) and is fixedly connected to the tail fin (3). A cabin (2-1) is provided above and below the fuselage (2), and the cabin (2-1) is provided with a detachable hatch. An equipment mounting platform (2-2) is provided on the lower exterior.

5. A low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal stabilizer (3-1) is a rectangular horizontal stabilizer with an airfoil of NACA0012, made of linden wood plywood, and supported by a tail fin web and a wing spars (3-5). The vertical stabilizer (3-2) is a flat wing made of linden wood plywood. The elevator (3-3) is made of polystyrene composite carbon fiber rods, and the rudder (3-4) is made of linden wood plywood.

6. A low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main wing (1) is connected to the aileron (1-2) via an embedded servo motor, which controls the deflection of the aileron (1-2); the horizontal stabilizer (3-1) and the vertical stabilizer (3-2) are connected to the rudder (3-4) and the elevator (3-3) via embedded servo motors, which respectively control the deflection of the corresponding control surfaces.

7. A low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: An airspeed meter is installed at the front nose (2-3) of the fuselage (2) to detect the airspeed of the UAV; a GNSS positioning device is installed at the rear of the fuselage (2) to obtain the time and location of the UAV.

8. A low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: A detachable skid is installed under the fuselage (2) to increase friction with the ground after landing.

9. A low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fuselage (2) uses linden wood plywood material, and the surface is covered with balsa wood shell covered with EPO heat-shrinkable skin.

10. A low-altitude, low-speed unmanned aerial vehicle with a forward-swept wing configuration and blended wing-body layout according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fuselage (2) and the tail fin (3) are fastened together with nylon screws.

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