Preliminary design method for miniature electric-powered vertical take-off and landing unmanned airial vehicle and effects of special parameters

The difficulties of the design of the miniature Electric-powered Vertical Take-Off and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTOL mEUAV) are analyzed, and a preliminary design method based on special parameters is proposed according to theoretical analysis. The choice of wing-load, estimation of total weight, the analysis of balance and control, and the design of tailless wing are described. The special parameters concerning power-to-weight ratio, propulsion matching and mounted incidence of a X-type tailless tail-sitter VTOL UAV equipped with one set of propulsion are then selected and analyzed. Based on the design results, the manufactory and flight tests are used to verify the design method. The results show that different design objective leads to different wing-load and power-to-weight ratio; propulsion efficiency and energy is greatly affected by motor and propeller matching; the suitable incidence of proplusion and deflected direction can improve the yaw control in hover without decreasing the whole property.