Aerodynamic optimization of a VTOL drone using winglets

In this work, an aerodynamic optimization of a VTOL drone wing has been carried out by implementing winglets. A dual methodology has been used employing a CFD study with the open source code OpenFOAM and applying the Vortex Lattice Method with the open source tool XFLR5 for different configurations and wingtips: the original wing, raked wingtips, and blended winglets. A comparison between the two software has been conducted to determine the validity of XFLR5 and to quantify the error in calculating the aerodynamic coefficients and the bending moment. XFLR5 offers the same trends as RANS at a fraction of the cost, allowing the use of XFLR5 for the first stages of design. •Several configurations tested for VTOL drones in XFLR5.•Results confirmed using OpenFOAM.•For the first stages of design XFLR5 can find the optimum at a fraction of the cost of RANS.