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Design and Development of RADIO CONTROL AIRCRAFT (FISTEY)

Technical Report · April 2022

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.11698.89284

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Model Aircraft Design
Challenge 1.0

1
 RADIO CONTROL AIRCRAFT
(FISTEY)

TEAM NEPAL

SUBASH DHAKAL
SURAJ ADHIKARI
SUDIP DHAKAL
RAM PRATAP MAHATO

EXCEL ENGINEERING COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS)

Komarapalayam- 637303

2
 Table of Contents

Chapter No. Title Page Number

Abstract 5

I Introduction 6-7

II Design details 8 - 12

III Performance Analysis of Designed Aircraft 13 - 15

IV Power plant selection 16

V Fabrication Process 17

VI Conclusion 18

VII Reference 19

List of Figures

Figure No. Description Page Number

3.1 Rc plane 10

3.2 Rc plane side view 10

3.3 Power Diagram 12

3.4 Components of Power Plant 13

3.5 Rc Aircraft model prototype 14

3
 ABSTRACT

The MADCHALLEGE Competition has brought a great opportunity for enthusiastic students to stand

out with their knowledge and concepts to build a RC Airplane with high performance of range and

endurance. The project has been carried out by the TEAM NEPAL which elaborates the features and

the performance of a RC Aircraft.

The design, analysis, and fabrication of radio controlling (RC) aircraft is a project aimed at

developing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be controlled remotely. The project involves

designing and building an aircraft that is lightweight, durable, and stable in flight. The aircraft is

equipped with a range of sensors and communication devices that allow it to be controlled remotely

from a ground station. The project also involves analyzing the performance of the aircraft using

simulation tools to optimize its design and ensure its stability and maneuverability in flight.

The project has the potential to revolutionize the aviation industry by providing a cost-effective and

versatile solution for a range of applications. It also opens up new opportunities for innovation and

research in the field of unmanned aerial [Link] plane has been designed as per the criteria given

in the challenges with Solidworks and Ansys analysis. The design parameters and the performances

are being elaborated in this paper to have a broad idea about our project. The airplane has very high

strength to weight ratio which is fabricated with composite materials of carbon fibre and with some of

the metals and non-metals in heavily stressed parts such as landing gear and wing struts. The projects

bring a wide range of knowledge regarding the development of a RC plane with its all performance

characteristics.

4
 INTRODUCTION

A radio-controlled aircraft is a small flying machine that is controlled remotely by an operator on the

ground using a hand-held radio transmitter. The transmitter communicates with a receiver within the

craft that sends signals to servomechanisms (servos) which move the control surfaces based on the

position of joysticks on the transmitter. The control surfaces, in turn, affect the orientation of the plane.

Scientific, government and military organizations are also using RC aircraft for

experiments, gathering weather readings, aerodynamic modelling and testing. Distinct from

recreational civilian aeromodelling activities, Unmanned aerial vehicle (drones) or spy planes add

video or autonomous capabilities, are used for public service (firefighting, disaster recovery, etc.) or

commercial purposes, and if in the service of a nation's military, may be armed. A wide variety of

models and styles is available. Scientific, government and military organizations are also using RC

aircraft for experiments, gathering weather readings, aerodynamic modelling, and testing.

Traditionally, RC Planes are made of Balsa wood, plywood, cotton, and silk, but more recently

plastics, polyester, fiberglass, carbon fibre, and foam are used. You can even build a powered,

controllable RC plane with a sheet of paper.

We have used PVC board for the fabrication of the overall body of our aircraft along with few

amounts of metals in the heavily stressed parts such as landing gear and wing struts.

5
 DESIGN DETAILS
A four-channel RC system gives the aero modeller the same basic degree of control that a full-sized
aircraft's primary flight controls do:

 Elevator (or horizontal stabilizer) – controls pitch (up and down).

 Rudder (or vertical stabilizer) – controls yaw (left and right).
 Throttle – controls engine rpm (or thrust for jets and ducted fans, or motor speed for
electric RC Aircraft).

 Ailerons – control roll.

The calculation for the airplane specification has been done and with this, a 3D model has been
created.

Wingspan:
As per the criteria stated in the MADCHALLENGES Competition, we are using a rectangular type
wing with less than 2m wingspan (i.e., 50 inches)

Chord Length:
It has to be 1/5th of the wingspan so the chord length is 10 inches which gives the following
calculations:

Wing Area
Its area can be calculated by multiplying the wingspan with the chord length.
Wing Area = wingspan * chord length
= 50*10
= 500 square inches

Airfoil Thickness, Flat Bottom types:

Airfoil Thickness = 12% * 10 inches
Airfoil Thickness = 1.2 inches

Aspect Ratio:
The Aspect ratio determines the gliding performance of the RC plane. Wingspan is directly
Proportional to the Aspect ratio. So as the wingspan increases your aspect ratio also increases.
Aspect Ratio = (Wingspan)2 / Wing Area
Aspect Ratio = (50)2 / (500)
Aspect Ratio = 5

Fuselage Length:
Fuselage Length = 75% * Wingspan

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Fuselage Length = 75 * 50/100
Fuselage Length = 37.5 inches
Further the fuselage divided into three parts Fuselage 1, Fuselage 2 and Fuselage 3.
Now,
F1 = Nose Length
F1 = 20% * Fuselage Length
F1 = 20% * 37.5 inch
F1 = Nose Length = 7.5 inches
F2 = Tail Length
F2 = 40% * Fuselage Length
F2 = 40% * 37.5 inch
F2 = Tail Length = 15 inches
F3 = Stabilizer Width
Fuselage total length = 7.5 inch Nose length + 10 inch chord length + 15 inch
Trailing edge to the stabilizer leading edge = 32.5 inch
While the Calculated value was 37.5 inch
So, 32.5 – 37.5 = 5 inch
These 5 inches is the Stabilizer width.
Stabilizer Width (F3) = 5 inches

Fuselage Height:
The fuselage height should be 10 to 15% of the fuselage length. So,
Fuselage Height = 10% * 37.5
Fuselage Height = 3.75 inches

Sizing of the Control Surfaces, Ailerons:

The sizing of the control surface Ailerons. It should be (1/8) * chord length. This is for the strip type
ailerons. So,
Aileron size = (1/8) * 10 = 1.25 inch
Aileron size: 1.25 inch

For the Strip type ailerons

So, Ailerons size = (1/8) * 10 = 1.25 inch

7
Horizontal Stabilizer Area:
The horizontal stabilizer area should be 15 to 20% of the Wing Area.
Our calculated wing area was 500 square inches, So
Wing Area = 500 square inches
Horizontal Stabilizer area = 500 * 15% = 75 square inches

Horizontal stabilizer Length:

We know the Horizontal stabilizer width and area,
Horizontal Stabilizer width = F3 = 5 inches
Horizontal Stabilizer Area = 75 square inches
So, for the rectangular type of stabilizer
Stabilizer area = width * length
75 = 5 * length
Length = 75/5
Stabilizer Length = 15 inches

Horizontal stabilizer length = 15 inches

Elevator Sizing:
The Elevator area should be 20 to 30% of the horizontal stabilizer area.
Elevator length = stabilizer length = 15 inches
Elevator area = 75 * 20% = 15 square inches
As, Elevator area = width * length, so, we can find the width of the elevator
15 = width * 15

Elevator width = 1 inches

Vertical Stabilizer:
Area of the vertical stabilizer should be 33% of the Horizontal stabilizer area. So
Vertical Stabilizer area = 33% * 75 square inches = 24.75 square inches
Vertical Stabilizer area = 24.75 square inches
Let’s keep the width same as the horizontal stabilizer width, so
Vertical Stabilizer width = 5 inches
Vertical stabilizer is as tall as its width

8
Rudder Area:
Rudder area should be ½ * vertical stabilizer area
Rudder area = (1 / 2) * 24.75 inch
Rudder area = 12.375 square inches
Length of the Rudder is same as the vertical stabilizer height
Height of Rudder = 5 inches
We know
Rudder area = height x width
So,
12.375 = 5 x Width
Rudder Width = 2.475 inches

Centre of Gravity “CG”:

CG should be set at 25% to 33% of the Chord length from the leading edge of the Wing. Our chord
length is 10 inches, So
CG = 25% X chord length
CG = 25% X 10 inches
CG = 2.5 inches

Therefore, CG is at 2.5 inches from the leading edge.

Angle of Attack: Angle of attack should be 3 to 4 degrees.

Dihedral: Dihedral if you want should be 2 to 3 degrees.

Wing Loading:
This determines how much load your wing can take
Wing Loading = All of weight of your aircraft / wing area
(500 square inches is wing area.)

Total weight:

Wt0 = weight of the body + weight electronic components

Weight of body = Volume of body * Density of body material

9
 PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF DESIGNED AIRCRAFT

As per the design we made in Solidworks, the performance of the Aircraft has been evaluated with the
help an open-source software for the analysis of the overall performance of the aircraft.

Fig 3.1: Rc plane (fistey)

Fig 3.2: Rc plane (fistey) side view

10
11
Fig 3.3: Power Diagram

12
 POWER PLANT SELECTION

Internal combustion engine and Nitro engine are not feasible for RC model with light density material
like Styrofoam due to working temperature. Thus, the best option is using electric motor with
propeller as propulsion unit. The power plant for our RC plane is a brushless dc motor with 2300 rpm
producing 1200N thrust to uplift the aircraft from ground to the sky at above 50 feet.

Power Plant Components:

1. Brushless motor – 2300 rpm / Thrust – 1200 N
2. Lipo Batteries – 2200 Mah * 2 = 4400 mah
3. ESC = 30 amp
4. Servo motors – 3 pieces
5. BEC = 1 Piece
6. Receiver: 8-Channel
7. Transmitter – 2.4 GHz

Fig 3.4 : Components of Power Plant

13
 FABRICATION PROCESS
A radio-controlled (model) aircraft (often called RC aircraft or RC plane) is controlled remotely by
hand-held transmitter and a receiver within the craft. The RC aircraft has been made up of various
high temperatures light weight composite materials. The design of the RC aircraft is done by using
SOLIDWORKS software. And the designed RC model is fabricated by using light weighted depron
foam material. At flying condition, the receiver controls the corresponding servo motors that move the
control surfaces based on the position of joysticks on the transmitter, which in turn affect the
orientation of the plane. The project was to show the design, construction, modification, and
performance test of the crafted aircraft. The Rc plane is fabricated with the carbon fibre composites
which makes it very light giving maximum efficiency.
To fabricate the RC plane, first we must select the material as per our weight estimation. So far, for
this specific project, we are introducing the PVC sheet. As per the researches done with PVC , it has
been found that the composite acquires relatively high strength to weight ration than any other rival
composites available in the market. The PVC board is comparatively cheap and is very simple to build.
Its availability makes it one of the preferred material for us.
The process we have followed for the fabrication of the aircraft can be listed as below;
 We gathered the PVC sheets as per the requirement.
 We made precise cuts and started to fabricate.
 We used glue to join the cut pieces which was cut as per the dimensions.
 The components are made ready.

Fig 3.5: RC (fistey) aircraft model prototype

14
 CONCLUSION

As we can observe the conventional aircraft has many restrictions and difficulties with flying and

performing different tasks, but a RC aircraft has got the best features which makes it to overcome the

difficulties that the conventional aircrafts are [Link] and building an RC aircraft can be a

challenging yet rewarding project that requires a combination of creativity, technical knowledge, and

problem-solving skills. The project typically involves various stages such as conceptualization, design,

construction, testing, and [Link], selecting high-quality materials and components

can contribute to the success and longevity of the [Link], we have used the latest Lipo-Batteries

which drives the propeller with 2300 rpm. The range and the endurance are comparatively high.

The MADCHALLENGE has really helped us to enhance our designing, analyzing and fabricating and

flying knowledge.

15
 REFERENCES

1. Aircraft Design by Daniel P Raymer. (Book)

2. Design of Aircraft by Thomas C. Corke. (Book)

3. [Link]

4. [Link]

test/

5. [Link]

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