Design of a Model for Low Speed Wind Tunnel Testing

Abstract: As technology for manufacturing small scale prototypes of aeroplanes has become cheaper and more easily viable, the process of Rapid Prototyping has become more common. Rapid Prototyping allows for the fundamental aerodynamic qualities of a geometric body to be tested in a wind tunnel using a small scale prototype. This means smaller prototypes of aircraft can be manufactured more rapidly and at a lower cost, allowing for more extensive testing of a design’s final aerodynamic qualities before any actual full-size production. In order to gain a better insight in the behaviours of the full-sized aircraft itself, a downscaled version of the KTH project UAV ALPHA has been deigned for testing in a low speed wind tunnel. The design will be used in further testing to help confirm simulations and estimations done on the ALPHA of its aerodynamic performance.