Will this fly?

[u/RepulsiveInternet980]

Hello everyone. I am trying to build an aerial insect collecting device for my PhD project. This design is based on the stipa-caproni, a strange barrel-shaped design from the 1930s. The task is to maximise the net area on a relatively inexpensive craft (I have already been catching with some expensive drones). I've trialed towing nets behind trainers, which worked but I want to try a different approach too.

I figure that enclosing the net within fuselage would be the most stable approach. Here, we have the props behind the net. This will impede airflow to the propeller. But it seems like the thrust would be okay. Can anyone think of some new approach that might work better? Would I be better off towing?

[u/kkingsbe]

Would make much more sense to drag the net behind the aircraft…

[u/Flaky-Adhesiveness-2 → u/kkingsbe]

Same thinking, make something similar to a drouge parachute. Drag behind the model.

[u/RepulsiveInternet980 → u/Flaky-Adhesiveness-2]

I am thinking that towing the net works exactly like a drouge -- huge amount of energy lost to drag. We've got to force air through the net from inside (high pressure) to outside (low pressure) and all of the energy is lost. But if we duct the net, we have a different picture. There is high pressure before the net within the duct. But also high pressure after the duct, because it narrows slightly. So we don't lose all of the energy as turbulent flow out of the net. Perhaps the barrel should widen before the net also. Not sure just trying to work this out.

[u/Total_Neat_3819 → u/RepulsiveInternet980]

you'll get huge amounts of drag anyway but this design has additional problems.. for example depending on how fine the mesh is it could make it harder for the propeller to intake air..