Aerodynamic optimization design of blended winglets for HALE UAVs

To address the engineering requirements for improving the aerodynamic efficiency of medium to high altitude long-endurance UAVs, this paper takes a high-aspect-ratio UAV as the research object and conducts aerodynamic optimization design of blended winglets. By establishing a design system combining surrogate-based optimization and CFD computational methods, an optimization function aiming at minimizing total induced drag was developed. The study focuses on analyzing the influence of key aerodynamic parameters (winglet span length, height, and sweep angle) on wing pressure distribution and vortex structure. Results show that the optimized winglet configuration improves the lift-to-drag ratio by 9%, significantly enhancing UAV flight performance. The proposed blended winglet design methodology and parameter influence patterns provide an optimization approach balancing engineering feasibility and aerodynamic improvement for high-aspect-ratio UAVs, offering valuable references for enhancing aircraft flight performance.