Michael Ferguson

Matt Magnuson
Christopher Fridley
Haithem Taha
 Subsonic Unmanned
Combat Aerial
Vehicle (UCAV)
 Launched from
Aircraft Carrier/
Airfield
 Used as Advanced
Recon / Bomber in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_X-47A_Pegasus

the field
 X-47A was a proof of
concept Vehicle

www.popsci.com
Scaled Composites X-47A Three View with Facts and Figures
http://air-attack.com/page/28/X-47-Pegasus-UCAV-N.html.
 Northrop Grumman X-47 UCAV Three View.
http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/assets/X-
47B-UCAS-Fact-Sheet.pdf. 4/19/2011.
 X-47 A X-47B
 Length: 27.9 ft  Length: 38.2 ft
 Height: 6.1ft  Height: 10.4 ft
 Wingspan: 27.8ft  Wingspan: 62.1 ft
 Empty Weight: 3,835  Empty Weight: 14,000 lbs
lbs  TOGW: 44,567 lbs
 TOGW: 5500 lbs  Payload: 4500 lbs
 Payload: 500 lbs  Powerplant: P&W F100-220U
 Powerplant: P&W Turbofan Engine
JT15D-5C Turbofan
Engine
X47A Value Units
C_root 27.9 ft
C_tip 0 ft
Sref 387.81 ft2
Control Surface
Area 26.93 ft2
Moment Arm 10.28 ft
Aspect Ratio 1.99
Leading Edge Sweep 55.00 degrees
Trailing Edge Sweep 30.00 degrees
MAC 18.60 ft
yMAC 4.63 ft
t/c max 0.12

Tailscrape: 20 degrees
 X-47 A X-47B
 L/Dcruise = 5.58  L/Dcruise = 12.62
 Cruise Speed: Mach  Cruise Speed: Mach
0.45 0.45
 Range: 953 Miles  Range: 2461 Miles
 Max Endurance: 6.0  Max Endurance: 6.6
hours hours
 W/S = 14.52  W/S = 46.2
 T/W = 0.58  T/W = 0.38
 Service Ceiling: 54 kft  T/Waugmented = 0.56
 Airfoil: NACA 641-212  Service Ceiling: 40 kft
 Elevator Required to  Airfoil: NACA 641-212
Trim: (-6.8o)  Elevator Required to
Trim: (-23.4o)
X47B Value Units
Sref1 335.08 ft2
Sref2 91.49 ft2
Sref3 18.26 ft2
Sref4 9.73 ft2
Total: Sref 909.11 ft2
Control Surface Area 98.70 ft2
Inner moment arm 14.51 ft
Outer moment arm 23.556 ft

Tailscrape: 41 degrees
Aerodynamic Specifications

Attributes:
• maintain a lower radar cross section
• uniform pressure distribution
• NACA 641212, low drag at low angles of attack

NACA 641212
0.5

Y/C
Y/C

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
-0.5
X/C
Flying wing
Carrier Launched
Corrosive Salt-
Water
Environment
Unmanned
Stealth
Multi-role
Reconnaissance
Combat
X-47 Final Concept Art
www.unmannedwarfare.webs.com
 Spoiler
Spoiler

X-47B in Landing Configuration

www.technewsdaily.com

• Spoilers
 Rapid deceleration
 Rapid descent
 Generate roll
 AVL Modeling & Drag Buildup
X-47 A X-47B

12.98
21.54
12.97
21.53
12.96
Neutral 21.52
12.95
Point
21.51
12.94
Location
12.93 21.5

12.92 21.49

12.91 21.48

12.9 21.47
-100 400 900 1400 1900 2400 -100 400 900 1400 1900 2400

Number of Panels Number of Panels

 0.08
0.07
0.06
0.05
CD X-47A
0.04
X-47B
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
-20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50
Static Margin -%c

Modeled via AVL

X-47A Drag Polars At the Cruise Mach Number
 W/S = 14.52
1.2
X47 A

 T/W = 0.58
1 X47 B

0.8
X-47B
 W/S = 46.2
0.6

 T/W = 0.38
CL 0.4
L
C

0.2

-0.2

Cruise Points
-0.4

-0.6
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
CD

Modeled via AVL

 L/D as a function of Mach Number
16.5
X47 A
16 X47 B
Note the maximum attainable at
Lift to Drag Ratio L/D

15.5 the cruise Mach. But this requires

flying at high CL. So the cruise
15 values are 5.58 for A, 12.62 for B

Type
14.5
equation
Lift/Drag
here.
14

13.5

13

12.5

12
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Mach Number, M
 Max Rate
Maxof Climb
Rate MROC vs. Altitude
Of Climb
14000
Maximum Rate of Climb (ft/min)
X47 A
X47 B
12000

10000

8000
MROC
(ft/min)
6000

4000

2000

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Altitude (kft), M
 Range as a Function of Mach Number
1800
X47 A
1600 X47 B

1400
Range (Miles)

1200

Range 1000
(mi)
800

600

400 Very big range extension for the X47 B

Also note that the Mach for best range
200 is exactly the cruise one (0.45).
It seems that X47 A is redesigned for greater
range
0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Mach Number, M
 The Flight Envelope
60

50 X47 A
X47 B

40
Altitde (kft)

Alt. (kft) 30

20

10

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
V (ft/sec)
 Load Distributions
0.06
X47 B CL = 0.154
X47 A Cruise CL for X47 B

0.05

0.04

γ
0.03


0.02

0.01


-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

Modeled via VLM

 These are determined using 0.05 taper ratio to avoid infinite sectional lift coefficient at tips.
 Section Lift Coefficient Ratio
2
X47 B
1.8 X47 A

1.6

1.4

1.2
Cl/CL

Cl/CL 1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2


-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1

Modeled via VLM

 CL L
Cp Distribution for X47 A at the cruise C CP
0 0.1

-0.2

-0.4 0.05

-0.6

-0.8 0

-1

-1.2 -0.05

-1.4
-0.1
-1.6

-1.8
-0.15
-2
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
η
Modeled via VLM
 Cp Contours for X47 A at the cruise CC
L L CP
0 0.1

-0.2

-0.4 0.05

-0.6

-0.8 0

-1

-1.2 -0.05

-1.4

-1.6 -0.1

-1.8

-2 -0.15
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
η
Modeled via VLM
 C
Cp Distribution for the X47 B at the cruise C
L L
CP -3
x 10
0

-0.2 4

-0.4 3

2
-0.6

1
-0.8

0
-1

-1
-1.2

-2
-1.4
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
η
Modeled via VLM
 Cp Contours for the X47 B at the cruise CL CP -3
x 10
0 4

-0.2
3

-0.4
2

-0.6
1
-0.8

0
-1

-1
-1.2

-1.4 -2
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
η Modeled via VLM
 X-47 A X-47B
 CG:  CG:
��� ���
=0.46 MAC =0.23 MAC
 Static Margin: -8%  Static Margin: -.65%
 Neutral Point:  Neutral Point:
��� ���
=0.54 MAC = 0.24 MAC

� is the mean aerodynamic chord.

 Cm Vs CL
0.08
X47 A
0.06 X47 B

Zero control surfaces deflection

0.04
with 2% cambered 6-series, no twist

0.02

CMcg 0
CMcg

-0.02

-0.04

-0.06

-0.08

-0.1
-0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
CL
Modeled via VLM
  X-47A: Camber and Twist distribution led to a reduction in
induced drag from 43 counts to 1.1 counts.
 X-47B: Reduction from 87 counts to 5.6 counts.

Twist Distibution for Minimum Induced Drag with Trim for X47 B Twist Distibution for Minimum Induced Drag with Trim for X47 A
1.6 0.8

0.7
1.4

0.6
1.2
Twist (deg)

Twist (deg)
0.5
1
0.4
0.8
0.3

0.6
0.2

0.4
0.1

0.2 0

 
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 -1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

Modeled via VLM

 -3
x 10 Camber Distibution for Minimum Induced Drag with Trim for X47 A
6
Root
25%
5 mid span
75%
tip
4

Zcamber
3
Zcamber
2

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
X
-3
x 10 Camber Distibution for Minimum Induced Drag with Trim for X47 B
20
Root
25%
mid span
15 75%
tip

10
Zcamber

Zcamber
5

-5
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Modeled via VLM
 DV’s: AR, �, Sweep Angle
to:
 Minimize the total Drag  =1
0.0125

 Maximize the Flutter C

0.012

Dmin
Dmin
Speed
C
 While trimming the
0.0115

0.011
airplane at the cruise CL 80

 Stable balance (negative

60 12
10
40 8
20 6
4
CM�) Sweep
0 2
AR

Modeled via VLM

 Shape for the X47 B wing planform for minimum Induced Drag at the cruise CL + Trim
0

-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2

-2.5 Without a contsraint on the volume to accomodate for the

fuel, or on the root chord for the engine length

-3
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

0
For: AR = 10, � = . , Sweep = , ��� = . counts
Modeled via VLM , Matlab Optimization Toolbox
 Shape for the X47 B wing planform for minimum Induced Drag at the cruise CL + Trim
0

-0.1

-0.2

After adding a constraint on the root chord to accomodate

-0.3
for the engine length + cabin
It looks pretty much like X47 A
-0.4

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7
-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
o
AR = 5.8, � = , Sweep = . ,� � = . counts.

Modeled via VLM , Matlab Optimization Toolbox

 Twist Distibution for Minimum Induced Drag with Trim for the optimized X47 B
1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

Twist (deg)
Twist (deg) 1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2


-1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

Camber Distibution for Minimum Induced Drag with Trim

-3
x 10 for the optimized X47 B
10
Root
25%
8 mid span
75%
tip
6
Zcamber

Zcamber 4

-2
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
X Modeled via VLM
 X-47A is redesigned
for optimum range
operation
 X-47B has 10 times
the payload capacity
of the X-47A
 X-47B has better drag
characteristics than
the A
 X-47B is neutrally
stable, improving on Artist Concept of the X-47B landing on an
Aircraft Carrier.
the unstable A www.strategypage.com
concept.
Technical Data and Published facts taken from.
1. Scaled Composites X-47A Facts and Figures, http://air-attack.com/page/28/X-47-Pegasus-UCAV-
N.html.
2. X47B Facts and Figures. http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/nucasx47b/assets/X-47B-
UCAS-Fact-Sheet.pdf. 4/19/2011.
3. A Vortex Lattice Method for the Mean Camber Shapes of Trimmed Non-Coplanar Planforms with
Minimum Vortex Drag. By: John E. Lamar. NASA Report TN D-8090.

Artist Drawings and Photographs taken from:

1. X-47A. www.wikipedia.org.
2. X-47B www.northropgrumman.com.
3. Artist Concept of the X-47B landing on an Aircraft Carrier. www.strategypage.com.
4. X-47B in Landing Configuration www.technewsdaily.com.
5. X-47 Final Concept Art www.unmannedwarfare.webs.com.