Sketch

Objectives
General Objectives:

To construct a small glider to be launched off a given rig and attain a maximum flight

time and range.

To model the gliders range and time of flight according to a variety of variables, such
as weather conditions and launch velocity.

Specific Objectives:

To attain a flight time greater than 10 seconds.

To be able to program a small digital display of 5 LEDs to show flight time as

determined by the onboard flight data recorder (FDR).

To be able to read the time of flight from the 5 LEDs display given.
Design and manufacture an operational glider with the FDR as its payload.
Design and manufacture a quick-release plate for the glider that can be machined by a

CNC.
Use a basic Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation to find coefficients of

lift and drag.

Use a wind tunnel test to experimentally obtain coefficients of lift and drag on a

model.
Simulate the gliders proposed flight path using computer software.
Calculate the optimum launch velocity and acceleration and use a tensile member to
calculate the force applied.

Observations

The model must adhere to the following design constraints:

o Overall dimensions of no greater than 600 mm length, 600 mm width and 300
mm height
o Overall mass of no greater than 250 g
o Overall budget costings of no greater than AU$100
o No other forms of propulsion or stored energy (other than FDR) to be used
other than the launch rig

Equations
Table 1: List of equations
Equations

Expression

Gravity

G=mg

Newtons Third Law of Motion

F=ma

Lift

S
L=CLV2 2
( CL = Coefficient of lift;
S = Wing surface; =1.293g/l)

Drag(v<2.5Ma)

S
D=CDV2 2
(CD=Coefficient of resistance;
S=Wing surface;=1.293g/l)

S
2
C=CV

Aerodynamic Force

F
C C D2 C L2
(

Lift-to-drag ratio

L
Lift-to-drag= FD =tan

Aspect ratio

=l/S
(l=The length of the wing;
S=The area of the wing)

Stress

F
A

Strain

Youngs Modulus of Elasticity

Energy

E F ds

Ii - I0
I0

Kinetic energy

1
1
2
mv1 mv02
2
2

Variable
Table 2: List of variables
Variable

Symbol

Units

Area of wings

Square Millimetre (mm2)

Chord length

Millimeters(mm)

Velocity

Meter per second(m/s)

Mass

Gram(g)

Air density

Kilogram per
meter(Kg/m)

Launch retraction strain

None (Scalar Value)

Launch retraction distance

Millimeters(mm)

Applied force

Newtons(N)

cubic

Dimensions of tensile t,w

member(thickness, width)

Millimeters(mm)

Stress

Pascals (Pa) Newton per

meter squared N/m

modulus

of E

Pascal (Pa) Newton per

meter squared N/m

Crossing section area

Youngs
elasticity

Square Millimetre (mm2)

Manipulation
Launch
The launch rig provides thrust to accelerate the model aircraft during the launch. On the
launch rig, the dimensions of the tensile members are measurable. I 0 is the original length of
the tensile member before the load is applied, and I i is the instantaneous length. According to
the equations,

Ii - I0
I0

the strain of the tensile can be converted into the equation,

E
The applied force F can be written as
F

S
S

F is the maximum instantaneous retraction force, the relationship between retraction force
and retraction distance is shown below.

Reference: Document 3 Project A brief

Based on the equation

E F ds

The area between the line and x-axis equal to

the energy in the process. Suppose all the energy is turned into kinetic energy of

E F ds

the mod aircraft, then

1
1
2
mv1 mv02
2
2
in which v0 is zero because the

aircraft is still before the acceleration.

So

2 F ds

(V0)

Flight distance
FC D 2 L2

During the flight,

a.

During the model aircraft ascent;

According to the equation

F=ma; G=mg

Mg sin Fc cos M

dv
dt V direction

So
Mg cos FC sin Mv

Mg

vy
v x2 v 2y

Mg

d
dt

1
SC v x2 v 2y cos M
2

vx

vx

1
SC v x2 v y2 sin M
2
v v
2
x

2
y

dv
dv x
vy y
dt
dt
2
2
vx v y

vx

dv y

vy

dt
v x2 v y2

dv x
dt

So that

ax
ay

dv x
1

SC v x2 v 2y (v y sin v x cos )
dt 2 M

dv y
dt

1
SC v x2 v y2 (v y cos v x sin )
2M

b. During the model descent;

Mg sin - Fc cos M

dv
dt V direction

Mg cos FC sin Mv

vy

d
dt

1
Mg
- SC v x2 v 2y cos M
v x2 v 2y 2

Mg

vx

vx

1
SC v x2 v y2 sin M
v x2 v y2 2

dv
dv x
vy y
dt
dt
2
2
vx v y

vx

dv y
dv
vy x
dt
dt
2
2
vx v y

So that

dv
1
ax x
SC v x2 v 2y (v y sin - v x cos )
dt 2 M
ay

dv y
dt

1
SC v x2 v 2y (v y cos v x sin )
2M