Structure design of a vertical and horizontal flight aircraft (#2367)

Authors

Rojas Patiño, Axel Alexander

Abstract

The development of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft has gained relevance in the aeronautical industry due to their versatility; in particular, the possibility of using them to generate a positive impact, both ecological and social, is becoming increasingly evident. This paper presents the structural design of a VTOL aircraft that combines the advantages of drones and fixed-wing aircraft, with the aim of optimizing aerodynamic efficiency and stability during flight. This was designed with a NACA 4412 airfoil, considering a lightweight 3D printed fuselage and a 6061-aluminum reinforced structure. Structural simulations were performed in NX Siemens to evaluate the strength and stability of the components, ensuring that deformations and stresses were kept within safe ranges. The results indicate that the proposed design is feasible for the implementation of efficient and low-cost VTOL aircraft, which could expand its use in various applications, including social and environmental. As future work, the construction and experimental validation of the prototype at scale is pending, in order to evaluate its behavior in real operating conditions.