Applied CFD for UAS Design
Move from intuition to data. Use computational fluid dynamics to optimize UAS airframes, quantify drag, and validate design decisions before cutting material or committing to a build.
Applied CFD for UAS Design
Stop guessing at aerodynamic performance. Start measuring it. This course teaches UAS engineers and designers to apply computational fluid dynamics tools to real platform design problems — quantifying lift, drag, and stability margins before the first prototype is built.
Program Overview
Four days of applied CFD work using open-source toolchains. Students bring real or notional airframe geometries and leave with analyzed, optimized designs and a repeatable workflow they can apply to every future project. No commercial software licensing required.
Key Focus Areas:
- CFD fundamentals: mesh generation, boundary conditions, solver selection
- Fixed-wing airframe analysis: wing profiles, fuselage drag, interference effects
- VTOL and multirotor flow analysis: rotor-body interaction, downwash effects
- OpenFOAM and XFLR5 workflows for low-speed UAS applications
- Design iteration: using CFD outputs to drive geometry changes
- Validation: correlating CFD results with flight test data
Who Should Attend
Primary Audience:
- UAS designers and engineers building or modifying airframes
- Research laboratory personnel developing experimental platforms
- DoD program offices evaluating vendor aerodynamic claims
- Academic researchers with active UAS design programs
- Defense contractors supporting aerodynamic design validation
Prerequisites: Basic familiarity with UAS airframe design concepts. Linux command line experience helpful. No prior CFD experience required.
Training Approach
Students work on real geometry from day one. Course uses OpenFOAM (open-source, no licensing cost) with XFLR5 for rapid 2D airfoil and 3D wing analysis. By day four, every student has completed a full drag polar, analyzed at least two design iterations, and documented a validated CFD workflow for their organization.
Program Outcomes
Upon completion, participants can:
- Set up and run CFD simulations for fixed-wing and VTOL UAS geometries
- Generate lift and drag polars for airframe comparison and selection
- Identify and quantify aerodynamic inefficiencies in existing designs
- Use CFD outputs to drive informed geometry modifications
- Document and repeat a validated aerodynamic analysis workflow
- Critically evaluate vendor-provided aerodynamic performance claims
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Questions?
Email: [email protected]
Related Programs:
- FFF-301: Additive Manufacturing for UAS Sustainment - From design to production-ready parts
- FFF-401: Advanced Fixed-Wing UAS Integration - Operational employment of fixed-wing platforms
- FFF-651: UAS Manufacturing Advisory - Manufacturing capability development
Course Details
| Duration | 4 days (32 contact hours) |
| Format | Facility-based (Fayetteville, NC) or on-site |
| Prerequisites | Basic UAS design familiarity. Linux command line experience helpful. No prior CFD required. |
| Target Audience | UAS engineers, designers, R&D labs, program offices evaluating aerodynamic claims |
| Scheduling | Contact us to schedule. Minimum 8 students per cohort. |
| Software | OpenFOAM (open-source), XFLR5 (open-source) — no licensing cost |
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Ready to Schedule This Course?
All training proposals are customized to your organization's requirements, operational timeline, and location preference. We respond within 48 hours.