METHODOLOGIES FOR THE DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have become an essential technology in civil, commercial, scientific, and defense applications due to their flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and operational efficiency. The increasing complexity of mission requirements has created a demand for comprehensive design methodologies capable of integrating multiple engineering disciplines during the early stages of aircraft development. This paper reviews the fundamental methodologies used for the design and performance evaluation of UAVs, including mission requirement analysis, conceptual design, aerodynamic configuration selection, weight estimation, propulsion system integration, stability and controllability assessment, structural design considerations, and flight performance analysis. Particular attention is given to the role of multidisciplinary design approaches that combine aerodynamic, structural, propulsion, and flight dynamics analyses to improve aircraft performance while reducing development time and cost. The study also discusses recent advances in computational modeling, optimization techniques, and simulation-based design methods that support more efficient engineering decision-making. The presented methodology provides a systematic framework for developing reliable, high-performance UAVs capable of meeting diverse operational requirements and serves as a foundation for future research in intelligent and integrated UAV design.