I worked with Joshua Richman and Zac Capel to design and build a balsa glider for our final project in our aeronautics class MAE 3050.
We were constrained by the materials provided to us, so had to size the aircraft in MATLAB accordingly. By applying aircraft sizing theory and aerodynamics in MATLAB to predict flight performance, we were able to obtain the desired aerodynamic characteristics by carefully selecting the airfoil and other design parameters.
I found it was important to select a high aspect ratio to maximize our glide ratio and time aloft, which contributed to our success in reaching the required distance. Structurally, the glider had features to minimize damage sustained during testing, as our limited materials meant that we would not be able to rebuild it if significantly damaged. For example, the wing easily popped off if the glider crashed, to ensure the internal structures were not subjected to high loads.
The glider placed within the top teams during the competition and flew smoothly, reaching the required distance. For more information, check out the technical report.
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We were constrained by the materials provided to us, so had to size the aircraft in MATLAB accordingly. By applying aircraft sizing theory and aerodynamics in MATLAB to predict flight performance, we were able to obtain the desired aerodynamic characteristics by carefully selecting the airfoil and other design parameters.
I found it was important to select a high aspect ratio to maximize our glide ratio and time aloft, which contributed to our success in reaching the required distance. Structurally, the glider had features to minimize damage sustained during testing, as our limited materials meant that we would not be able to rebuild it if significantly damaged. For example, the wing easily popped off if the glider crashed, to ensure the internal structures were not subjected to high loads.
The glider placed within the top teams during the competition and flew smoothly, reaching the required distance. For more information, check out the technical report.
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