Overall design of a tiltrotor cargo UAV for logistics distribution

Abstract

With the rapid development of e-commerce, the demand for flexible and efficient terminal logistics distribution has increased significantly. Existing cargo UAVs generally suffer from insufficient payload capacity, limited range, or poor flexibility in takeoff and landing. This paper proposes a tiltrotor cargo UAV design oriented toward logistics distribution requirements. Based on market demand analysis, the design requirements and performance indicators of the UAV are determined. The overall layout adopts an upper single-wing with wingtip winglets and a V-tail configuration. The structural parameters of the wing, fuselage, empennage, and landing gear are calculated in detail. CATIA software is used to establish the three-dimensional model, and Xflr5 is used to simulate the aerodynamic performance. Results show that at a cruise angle of attack of 1°, the lift-to-drag ratio reaches 19.292, and the theoretical range is 247.18 km, exceeding the design target of 200 km. A tiltrotor mechanism driven by servos and a modular cargo loading structure with four-point clamping are designed to achieve smooth switching between vertical takeoff/landing and fixed-wing cruise modes. The Pixhawk 4 flight controller is selected for autonomous navigation. This research provides a feasible technical solution for urban terminal distribution and material transportation in remote areas.