Structural Analysis of Drone Wings Using Composite Materials

Abstract

The structural integrity and performance of drone wings are of paramount importance in modern unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) design. Lightweight yet robust materials are essential to ensure optimal aerodynamic efficiency, reduced energy consumption, and high maneuverability. This study focuses on the structural analysis of drone wings constructed from advanced composite materials—Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP)—using finite element analysis (FEA) techniques in ANSYS Workbench. The primary objective is to evaluate and compare the total deformation, maximum principal stress, and maximum principal strain behavior of these two materials when subjected to aerodynamic loads under realistic operating conditions. A tapered drone wing geometry was modeled in CATIA V5 with a span of 6.898 meters, a root chord of 1.152 meters, a tip chord of 0.560 meters, and a uniform thickness of 5 millimeters. The CAD model was then imported into ANSYS Workbench for meshing, boundary condition setup, and static structural simulation. A fixed constraint was applied at the root to represent the fuselage connection, and a uniform surface pressure load was applied to replicate aerodynamic lift forces. Both CFRP and GFRP materials were analyzed under identical load and constraint conditions to ensure consistency in comparative evaluation. The results reveal that CFRP exhibits superior stiffness and lower deflection compared to GFRP, which demonstrates higher flexibility and greater strain under the same loading scenario. Such findings underline CFRP’s suitability for high-performance and endurance drones, while GFRP remains a viable choice for cost-sensitive or short-range applications. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on composite applications in aerospace and drone structures, emphasizing the balance between material cost, performance, and weight efficiency. Future work can expand this study to dynamic and fatigue analyses, explore hybrid composites, and incorporate experimental validation.

Introduction

This study examines the use of composite materials in drone (UAV) wing design, focusing on Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP). As UAVs demand higher endurance, payload capacity, and efficiency, lightweight materials with high strength and stiffness are essential. Compared to traditional metals, composites offer superior stiffness-to-weight ratios and corrosion resistance, improving aerodynamic and structural performance.

CFRP provides high stiffness, strength, and fatigue resistance, making it ideal for high-performance and long-endurance drones, though its high cost limits widespread use. GFRP, while offering lower mechanical performance, is more economical and suitable for smaller or cost-sensitive UAVs. The study uses Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in ANSYS Workbench to compare CFRP and GFRP wings under static loading, evaluating deformation, von Mises stress, strain, and strain energy.

A realistic tapered drone wing was modeled in CATIA V5 and analyzed in ANSYS with refined meshing at critical regions such as the wing root. Results highlight how material choice affects stiffness, load-bearing capacity, and deformation. The study also discusses aeroelastic effects, fatigue considerations, and sustainability challenges associated with composite materials.

Conclusion

The structural analysis of the three-bladed drone wing, designed in CATIA V5 and analyzed using ANSYS Workbench, successfully demonstrated the comparative performance of CFRP and GFRP materials under identical loading conditions. The model was developed with accurate geometric parameters and refined meshing near the root region to capture realistic stress and strain behavior. From the simulation results, CFRP exhibited a total deformation of 0.0026 inch, while GFRP showed 0.043 inch, confirming that CFRP provides far greater stiffness and dimensional stability under aerodynamic loads. The maximum principal elastic strain values further emphasized this difference, with CFRP showing 6.20 × 10?? and GFRP 1.02 × 10?, indicating that CFRP has superior strain distribution and better resistance to fatigue and micro-crack formation. Similarly, the maximum principal stress recorded for CFRP was 52.47 psi, slightly lower than 53.79 psi for GFRP, suggesting more efficient load-bearing capability and reduced stress concentration. Overall, the results confirm that CFRP outperforms GFRP in every major structural aspect — deformation, strain, and stress behavior. Its exceptional stiffness-to-weight ratio, high fatigue resistance, and low deformation make it an ideal choice for drone wing applications, where maintaining aerodynamic stability and structural integrity is critical. GFRP, though more economical, displayed higher flexibility and localized strain zones, which may compromise long-term performance and reliability. The integration of CATIA V5 for precise modeling and ANSYS Workbench for FEA provided a clear understanding of material response and validated the accuracy of the simulation methodology. The deformation and stress contours clearly showed that the critical stress zones occurred near the blade root, where CFRP managed loads more uniformly compared to GFRP. In conclusion, CFRP is the most suitable material for the drone wing, combining lightweight characteristics with superior mechanical performance. It ensures minimal deflection, uniform strain distribution, and better fatigue endurance under operational loads. The findings from this study support the selection of CFRP as the optimal composite material for high-performance drone wings, contributing to improved aerodynamic efficiency, structural stability, and overall operational lifespan of the aircraft.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Aadil Parwez, Sanjay Singh, Ravishanker Choudri. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.