Comparison of open-source CFD software for aerodynamic analysis of mini-UAV

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to compare open-source CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) software for the aerodynamic analysis of a mini-UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). When low cost analysis is necessary, open-source applications seem to be the best choice; however, the quality of the open-source software may vary. Hence, this paper includes leading candidate open-source CFD software - SU2, OpenFOAM, and Code_Saturne. PyFR and HiFiLES will be analyzed in future work. The first part of this paper shows the geometry of two mini-UAVs used for the aerodynamic analysis. In the second section, the free software is summarized and described, including the open-source CFD applications. Although this analysis is focused on small subsonic UAVs, the software can also be applicable to other categories of aircraft (e.g., gliders, large supersonic airplanes, and MAVs); however, accuracy may be different from this research. Finally, the results of the aerodynamic analysis are recorded, evaluated, and discussed.