Design and optimization of a blended wing body UAV using AI-driven surrogate modeling and CFD analysis

Muhammad Shoaib Naseem, Muhammad Uns Haider Shah, Muhammad Nasih Ul Hassan, Rimsha Zubair, Ayman Afzal, Shakeel Afzal, Mujahid Naseem, Department of Mechanical Engineering, COMSATS University Islamabad, Wah Campus, Department of Aerospace Engineering, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineeirng, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Technology Topi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Interdisciplinary Research Center for Sustainable Energy Systems, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals , Saudi Arabia

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering

Published online on April 28, 2026

Abstract

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, Ahead of Print.
This paper presents a practical, end-to-end approach to improving the flight endurance of a one-meter wingspan blended-wing-body (BWB) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) powered by a low-power propulsion system. It aims to increase aerodynamic efficiency and ...