Flight dynamics of a 'v' shape boomerang: effect of wind on boomerang trajectory

Abstract

Boomerangs have captured attention because of the mechanical structure that realises such complex movements of the boomerang. The perfect prediction of the path leads to the application of boomerangs in the field. The external environment is always unsteady; therefore, the dynamics of boomerangs should be studied in unsteady wind conditions. The main aim of this research is to study the steady and unsteady wind effects on the boomerang trajectory by developing an unsteady input-based mathematical model. A traditional 'V' shape boomerang is designed using CATIA V5, and 2D steady state ANSYS Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation (CFD) was performed to derive the aero dynamical coefficients of the boomerang. Finally, the newly developed mathematical model is numerically simulated using MATLAB. The trajectory of the boomerang in different wind conditions is plotted and compared. The results show that the steady and unsteady wind highly influences the boomerang path. Results show the capabilities of the model under both the steady and unsteady flow of wind in predicting a boomerang trajectory.