Tapered wing (taper ratio for minimum induced drag) — dimension sheet
Source: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/tapered-wing/  (sheet CC BY 4.0; files Xem Studio Design License, https://xemstudio.com/license/)
Basis: Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio
Catalog version: 2026-10-20

Sizes: see table below
- Taper ratio is tip chord divided by root chord (Leishman, ERAU). Tapering moves the span loading toward elliptical, raising span efficiency and lowering induced drag (Kitplanes, Wainfan).
- Torenbeek's guidance, quoted in a UAV design paper, picks a taper ratio of 0.45 'because it gives fairly elliptic lift distribution and good stall characteristics' (arXiv 1801.02938). Leishman notes linear taper is a good compromise between weight and structural efficiency.
- Strong taper loads the tips more, so tapered wings need washout to keep the stall inboard (Boldmethod; R/C Soaring Digest).
- The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above. Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle.

parameter  value or range  source
Taper ratio definition  lambda = c_tip / c_root  ERAU (Leishman)
Recommended taper (unswept)  0.45  arXiv 1801.02938 citing Torenbeek (1976)
2:1 taper example  lambda = 0.5  ERAU; Kitplanes
Span loading example plotted  lambda = 0.4 closer to elliptical than constant chord  Kitplanes (Wainfan)
Model dihedral correction for taper  EVD factor F = 0.8 + 0.2 (Ct/Cr)  McCombs, Model Aviation 1994
Reference build  span 1000, root 220, tip 99 (lambda 0.45)  computed

Files elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):
- Embry-Riddle (Leishman), Introduction to Aerospace Flight Vehicles: Wing Shapes and Nomenclature — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://eaglepubs.erau.edu/introductiontoaerospaceflightvehicles/chapter/wing-shapes-and-nomenclature/
- arXiv 1801.02938 (citing Torenbeek, Synthesis of Subsonic Airplane Design, 1976): Systematic design methodology for a variable pitch quadrotor biplane VTOL UAV — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://arxiv.org/pdf/1801.02938
- Kitplanes (B. Wainfan): Design Process: Planform Effects on Span Loading and Drag (2020) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.kitplanes.com/design-process-planform-effects-on-span-loading-and-drag/
- Model Aviation (AMA), W.F. McCombs: Wing and Tail Dihedral for Models (Dec 1994) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://library.modelaviation.com/article/wing-and-tail-dihedral-models
- Boldmethod (pilot training): How Stall Strips Keep Your Plane Under Control — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aerodynamics/how-stall-strips-keep-your-plane-under-control/
- R/C Soaring Digest: Twist Distributions for Swept Wings, Part 2 (June 2002) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://new.rcsoaringdigest.com/2002/06/twist-distributions-for-swept-wings/[pdf].pdf

Free files (Xem Studio Design License, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 1 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/tapered-wing/index.json
API: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=tapered-wing