Blended wing body (BWB) aircraft designs have been shown to have better fuel efficiency and cargo carrying capacity than comparable conventional aircraft. The goal of my capstone project was to design a BWB UAV and manufacture it entirely with 3D printing. For this project, I served both as the project manager of a team of 22 students as well as the lead CAD designer, primarily creating the wing geometry for assembly, simulation, and manufacturing.
Surface Modelling
The model of the UAV is based on the Skywalker X-8 Aerodynamic profile modified to be 3D printable. The challenge is that the airframe is very large (a wing span of 2 meters) and therefore parts had to be printed in segments and assembled. The CAD work primarily consists of using surface lofts to match the shape of the X-8 airfoil while creating 3D printable internal spars and ribs.
Vertical Takeoff and Landing
Another major design challenge was the requirement for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities. We incorporated carbon rods which attaches to actuators on both ends of the wing, mounted on servos which allows the rotors to tilt during flight.
CAD Render
