Analysis of a Skid Type Landing Gear of a Rotary Wing UAV by Experimental and Numerical Methods

The objective of this study was to analyze the results obtained from tests done by simulating the crash landing of a rotary wing unmanned air vehicle with a skid type landing gear. The experimental and computational methods were used in the simulation tests. In the first portion of the test; namely with the experimental method, the impact loads induced by the simulated crash landing and the stresses, strains, deformations generated by these loads, were recorded by drop test apparatus. In the second portion of the test with the computational method, free falling of the skid type landing gear was modeled and crash landing test was simulated numerically by using ANSYS code. Experimental methods were applied on four skid landing gear specimens with different shapes. Each of the test samples used in the following test was evolved because each sample was developed and redesigned based on the feedback results obtained from the former test.The first three test specimens were manufactured from 2024 T3, 7075 T6 and 6061 T6 aluminum alloys respectively and all of them were curved in Π-form with a solid cross section. The last and fourth specimen was also manufactured from 6061 T6 aluminum alloy and it was curved in a hollow semi-circle form (∩-form). It is concluded that the last and fourth developed specimen was the best in absorbing the impact energy and enduring the crash.