Structure Optimal Design for airfoil of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is a pilotless, command-operated and recyclable aircraft. Born in 1917, the
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle has undergone rapid development through brutal combat operations. Towards the
end of the twentieth century, drones advanced vigorously in various fields: in the military field, mainly for
patrolling, tracking, warfare, transport, electronic countermeasures and aerial interception; in the economic
field, mainly for vegetation maintenance, various mapping, pesticide spraying and weather monitoring [1].
Computer microelectronics, material science and technology and aircraft technology have laid a strong
technical support for the long-term development and innovation of UAVs. At the same time, information warfare
has stimulated and guided the rapid development of UAVs.
In aeronautical structural design, a very small amount of excess weight can make the difference between good
and bad overall structural performance, so the lightweight design of structures has always been a goal pursued
by engineering designers. Unmanned aircraft vehicle is a hot topic in international aviation today, and the only
way to meet the requirements of low cost, long endurance, high overload and high manoeuvrability is to reduce
the weight of the mechanism as much as possible. The airfoil is the main load-bearing structure of the UAV,
bearing approximately 70% of the aerodynamic load of the UAV, and is the main lift component, and the
structural performance plays a decisive role in the flight performance of the entire UAV. Therefore, a airfoil
structure with lightweight and high stiffness characteristics is a key element to improve the performance of the
UAV, while ensuring structural strength.