Tailoring Performance-Led Aircraft Design to Efficiency Using Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

Abstract

In the dynamic realm of aerospace engineering, the pursuit of optimizing aircraft design for enhanced efficiency and performance is a critical challenge. This capstone project, "Tailoring Performance-Led Aircraft Design to Efficiency Using Multidisciplinary Design Optimization," tackles this challenge by leveraging a unique blend of automated processes and a performance-led design philosophy. Centering on the conceptualization of a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the project harnesses the synergistic potential of Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO). The innovative approach prioritizes performance criteria as the driving force behind design decisions, marking a departure from simpler, inefficient parameter-led methods. By integrating automated processes, the project streamlines design iterations, allowing for rapid prototyping and optimization of the UAV's aerodynamic efficiency. This shift to a performance-led, automated methodology not only offers a sophisticated and efficient design solution for UAVs but also represents a significant advancement in aerospace engineering design techniques. The project aims to set a new standard in the field, leading to more effective, efficient aircraft designs with faster design processes.