UAV Aerodynamic Analysis for Agricultural Surveying
Budget: $30 – $250 NZD
As a start-up developing a custom UAV solution for agricultural surveying, we are in the conceptual design stage of our product. Our goal is to create a UAV that can deliver efficient, reliable, and adaptable aerial mapping tailored to the unique demands of farming environments—ranging from small irregular plots to large commercial fields.
Through our initial design studies, we have narrowed our solution down to two potential aerodynamic configurations:
A lightweight, conventional fixed-wing design similar to the senseFly eBee X — optimized for portability, rapid deployment, and low-speed flight.
A hybrid VTOL fixed-wing design similar to the Quantum-Systems Trinity Pro — offering vertical take-off and landing flexibility while maintaining efficient cruise performance.
Choosing between these two design strategies is a critical step in our product development, as it will define our UAV’s aerodynamic baseline, manufacturing complexity, and suitability for agricultural missions. However, manufacturer brochures emphasize general performance (endurance, payload, coverage area) and do not provide the detailed aerodynamic data—such as lift and drag curves, stall characteristics, and lift-to-drag efficiency—needed to make a robust engineering decision.
For this reason, we are seeking specialist support to conduct a comparative aerodynamic analysis of these two UAV architectures. This will involve both analytical methods and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to evaluate and benchmark their aerodynamic behavior. The results will guide us in selecting the most appropriate design foundation for our UAV, ensuring that it balances efficiency, endurance, and operational flexibility for agricultural surveying applications.
Through our initial design studies, we have narrowed our solution down to two potential aerodynamic configurations:
A lightweight, conventional fixed-wing design similar to the senseFly eBee X — optimized for portability, rapid deployment, and low-speed flight.
A hybrid VTOL fixed-wing design similar to the Quantum-Systems Trinity Pro — offering vertical take-off and landing flexibility while maintaining efficient cruise performance.
Choosing between these two design strategies is a critical step in our product development, as it will define our UAV’s aerodynamic baseline, manufacturing complexity, and suitability for agricultural missions. However, manufacturer brochures emphasize general performance (endurance, payload, coverage area) and do not provide the detailed aerodynamic data—such as lift and drag curves, stall characteristics, and lift-to-drag efficiency—needed to make a robust engineering decision.
For this reason, we are seeking specialist support to conduct a comparative aerodynamic analysis of these two UAV architectures. This will involve both analytical methods and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to evaluate and benchmark their aerodynamic behavior. The results will guide us in selecting the most appropriate design foundation for our UAV, ensuring that it balances efficiency, endurance, and operational flexibility for agricultural surveying applications.