Aerodynamic Performance Evaluation of a Coaxial Octocopter Based on Taguchi Method

Abstract

Abstract The design and optimization of propellers for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are essential for optimal performance and high efficiency. This study presents a numerical investigation of the aerodynamic performance of coaxial octocopters using openfoam as flow solver. While the aerodynamic performance is affected by many parameters, the current study focuses on four main parameters: the propeller type, the horizontal and vertical separation distances between the propellers, and the ratio between the rotational speeds of the upper propeller and the lower one. To find the minimum number of simulations to be performed within defined limits, and reduce the number of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations that cause high computational cost, Taguchi method was employed. In this study, average thrusts were calculated for the preliminary design of the octocopter by examining an isolated single propeller and dual- and quad propellers taking their rotation directions into account. The Taguchi design matrix revealed that for all cases investigated, the propeller type is the most dominant design parameter followed by the velocity ratio of the upper propeller to the lower one (nU/nL) and vertical (z/D) and horizontal (ℓ/D) orientation of coaxial propellers. However, it was shown that ℓ/D and z/D may play a significant role in vortex formation and pressure fluctuations which should be considered as design criteria for coaxial octocopters associated with flow attributes. The results showed that the aerodynamic performance parameters are not dependent on all the selected parameters, and demonstrated that the selected propeller designs improved aerodynamic performance.