Forward Flight Study of a Power-efficient Disc-shaped UAV: a Computational Approach

Abstract

This study investigates a disc-shaped unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) engineered with a contoured upper surface to improve forward-flight efficiency. A three-dimensional CFD model, validated through mesh-sensitivity analysis, is used to quantify aerodynamic performance across forward speeds of 25–100 km/h and varying rotor and tilt configurations. The curved body generates up to 80.5% of total lift in level flight, reducing power demand by as much as 66.42% relative to hover. Maximum efficiency occurs at small negative angles of attack, where body inclination and surface geometry enhance the lift-to-drag ratio. Power savings increase from 48.31% at 25 km/h to 80.26% at 100 km/h. These results demonstrate how geometric shaping and attitude control can be leveraged to improve the aerodynamic and energy performance of non-conventional UAV platforms.