Controlled canard configuration study for a solid rocket motor based unmanned air vehicle

This paper presents an aerodynamic study for a target unmanned air vehicle with controlled canard, at cruise Mach number between 0.7 and 0.85, using a solid rocket motor as power. The results of semi-empirical method (DATCOM), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were compared with wind tunnel tests to evaluate perdition accuracy. Here DATCOM shows big discrepancy in pitching-moment coefficient; the CFD estimation of static aerodynamic force and moment agree well with wind tunnel data. An analysis was focused on the longitudinal data for complicated controlled canard-elements interactions and canard vortex behavior. The canard vortex interaction with tail wing of initial configuration concept with a thick canard (NACA0012) and the final improved configuration with a thin canard (NACA0007) were reviewed. It is proved that the stability and control characteristics of whole TUAV are sensitive to the thickness of canard in transonic peed regime because of different canard vortex intensity and effect generated.