eVTOL - Wing Airfoil

[Shubham Bedke]

Hello SUAVE Community,

I’m currently working on a modified version of the eVTOL script from the SUAVE tutorials to suit my project requirements. Specifically, I’ve defined a fixed-wing eVTOL UAV with a twin vertical tail configuration.

For the wing, I implemented the CH10sm airfoil, which is known for its high lift characteristics. The script runs without any errors, and the airfoil definition appears to be correctly integrated. However, I’m encountering an inconsistency in the aerodynamic output:

• SUAVE predicts a cruising angle of attack (AoA) of approximately 6 degrees

• In contrast, my CFD simulations (validated across multiple tools) show that the required lift is achieved at 0 degrees AoA

Given CH10sm’s high-lift profile, this discrepancy seems unusual. It leads me to suspect that SUAVE may not be correctly utilizing the CH10sm airfoil data during aerodynamic analysis, or perhaps the airfoil is not being applied to the wing as intended.

I’m using the standard SUAVE installation (not the developer version). I’ve attached my modified script and relevant output plots for reference.

If anyone has encountered a similar issue or can help identify what might be going wrong, I’d greatly appreciate your insights.

Thank You.