By Koni Schafroth, Team SmartFish, Bern, Switzerland

SmartFish is a revolutionary new airplane concept that was inspired by the cornering capabilities of the tuna fish. The SmartFish project is staffed by a creative team of inventors, designers, and scientists, who aim to develop an economic and safe aircraft for a wide range of applications, from general aviation airplanes with two seats to business jets with twenty seats.

SmartFish differs from conventional aircraft by its innovative aerodynamic design, while relying on standard technologies for building materials and propulsion. Preliminary wind tunnel tests and scale model flight data suggest that a SmartFish aircraft has many potential advantages over conventional aircraft of comparable size and propulsion system, such as improved efficiency, higher air speed, and longer range. SmartFish makes use of a blended wing body lifting surface that improves the lift and drag characteristics of the system dramatically. The simplicity of the design suggests that manufacturing costs (for design and assembly), maintenance costs, and operating costs will be potentially lower than those for conventional aircraft.

Surface pressure and pathlines illustrate the flow for a low speed (Mach 0.22) SmartFish aircraft operating with a 15-degree angle of attack

The SmartFish team has collaborated with scientists at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) to simulate several configurations of SmartFish designs using FLUENT 6. Calculations based on an Euler model for the transonic regime were used to optimize the volume distribution of the aircraft. For the low speed range, simulations were carried out using the RANS solver. These calculations will allow engineers to analyze the flow around the aircraft for a range of angles of attack. In the next phase of the project, a two seater Proof of Concept model will be constructed and flown. Once the physical testing and simulation efforts have been completed, the team has high hopes that the SmartFish jet will revolutionize how - and what - people fly.

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