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This paper presents a new design for the core of a span-morphing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) wing that increases the spanwise length of the wing by fifty percent. The purpose of morphing the wingspan is to increase lift and fuel efficiency during extension, to increase maneuverability during contraction, and to add roll control capability through...
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... static analysis was performed on the spars to determine the maximum displacement under aerodynamic loads. First, an elliptical load distribution was assumed over the wing as shown in Figure 6. Equation (1) represents the distribution of the load, q(x), the wing experiences based on the weight of the aircraft and the weight of the wing [19]. ...
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... For the UAV models, produced by material extrusion, the aerodynamic performances were determined by testing in the wind tunnel [47][48][49]. The manufacturing of morphing wing models [50][51][52][53] lends itself very well to the additive manufacturing process by material extrusion, since the components are manufactured in the shortest time and at low costs. Currently, the use of composite filaments, with short [54][55][56] or continuous fibers [57,58], employed in the 3D-printing process represents an intensively researched field with applications in aerospace. ...
The additive processes used in the manufacture of components for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), from composite filaments, have an important advantage compared to classical technologies. This study focused on three-dimensional design, preliminary aerodynamic analysis, fabrication and assembly of thermoplastic extruded composite components, flight testing and search-rescue performance of an UAV. The UAV model was designed to have the highest possible structural strength (the fuselage has a structure with stiffening frames and the wing is a tri-spar), but also taking into account the limitations of the thermoplastic extrusion process. From the preliminary aerodynamic analysis of the UAV model, it was found that the maximum lift coefficient of 1.2 and the maximum drag coefficient of 0.06 were obtained at the angle of attack of 12°. After conducting flight tests, it can be stated that the UAV model, with components manufactured by the thermoplastic extrusion process, presented high stability and maneuverability, a wide range of speeds and good aerodynamic characteristics. The lack of this type of aircraft, equipped with electric motors, a traffic management system, and a thermal module designed for search-and-rescue missions, within the additive manufacturing UAV market, validates the uniqueness of the innovation of the UAV model presented in the current paper.
... Sepulveda vd. tarafından yeni bir genişlik şekillendirme kanat çekirdek tasarımının geliştirilmesi ele alınmıştır [13]. Yapılan deneysel çalışmalarda, yeni çekirdek tasarımının genişlik şekillendirme kanadının performansını artırabileceği ve uçakların daha iyi manevra kabiliyeti sağlayabileceği gösterilmiştir. ...
Kuşlar; tırmanış, düz uçuş, alçalma vb. değişik uçuş fazlarını, şekillendirilebilir kanatları sayesinde verimli bir şekilde gerçekleştirebilmektedirler. Geleneksel hava araçlarında ise değişik uçuş fazları için yardımcı kontrol yüzeyleri kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada şekil değiştirebilir esnek kanat yaklaşımı ile mini sınıf insansız hava araçlarının uçuş verimliliğinin artırılması hedeflenmiştir. Esnek kanat 3 boyutlu yazıcı ile üretilebilir şekilde tasarlanmıştır. Kanat profilleri simetrik, yarı simetrik ve bombeli (kambur) olarak sınıflandırılabilir. Simetrik kanatlar daha yüksek hızlara ulaşılabilmesine olanak sağlarken bombeli kanat profilleri daha fazla kaldırma kuvveti üretilmesini sağlar. Hava aracı kanadının belirtilen kanat profillerine dönüştürülebilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Kanat, uyumlu hücum kenarı ve firar kenarına sahip olacak şekilde tasarlanmıştır. Bu sayede uçuş sırasında kanadın değişken kamburlu olabilmesi hedeflenmiştir. Kanadın şekillenebilmesi için kanadın üst yüzeyinde elastik deforme edilebilir esnek 3D baskılı yapılar, alt yüzeyinde ise yuva-yol ilişkisine sahip bir yapı tasarlanmıştır. Tasarlanan kanadın statik ve aerodinamik analizleri simülasyon araçları kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Optimizasyon çalışmalarından sonra 3 boyutlu (3B) yazıcı kullanılarak prototip kanat üretimi ve daha sonra rüzgar tünelinde şekil değiştirebilen kanadın testleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Tasarlanan şekil değiştirebilen kanadın değişik durumlardaki aerodinamik davranışı XFRL5 yazılımı kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Aerodinamik analizler sonucunda kambur kanadın en yüksek kaldırma katsayısına (CL) sahip olduğu görülmüştür. Simetrik kanadın daha düşük sürükleme katsayısına (CD) sahip olduğu ve sonuç olarak aerodinamik verimliliğinin daha yüksek olduğu görülmüştür. Rüzgâr tüneli testlerinde farklı rüzgâr hızları ve hücum açıları için kanat kaldırma kuvveti ölçümleri yapılmıştır. Geliştirilen uyumlu kanat ile çok geniş yelpazede farklı kanat davranışlarının elde edilebildiği görülmüştür.
... The aerodynamic properties of conventional airplane wings can be changed using slats, flaps, and ailerons on the exterior of the wing. A spanwise morphing wing can change its geometric configurations by changing the span size of the wing in order to improve aerodynamic performance at different points of the flight envelope [24]. Wings that contain large spans are known to have good fuel efficiency and good range, but they lack mobility and, they have lower cruising speeds. ...
Morphing wings made a significant advancement in aircraft engineering by improving aerodynamic performance for better fuel efficiency and are still under research. This paper reviewed and investigated some morphing wing types including the variable sweep, trailing edge, leading edge, variable span, variable chord, or scale, and airfoil morphing among others. Based on the review, two types of morphing wings were chosen for detailed investigation, and they were variable span and variable scale. Each morphing concept from the selected morphing wing types was implemented in airfoil wing configuration for aerodynamic performance analysis. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation is used to design and analyse morphing wing configurations of the chosen morphing concepts. In this research, two CFD analyses were investigated based on wing configuration; each consists of chosen morphing concept. Before the main CFD simulation of morphing wing analysis, CFD analysis of reference data of a typical NACA 2415 airfoil was verified. The lift coefficient of the morphing wing obtained from CFD analysis was compared with the unmorphed NACA airfoil wing to evaluate the morphing wing’s aerodynamic performance. It is concluded that there is an improvement in lift coefficients using the morphing concept cases, showing improved aerodynamic performance.
... With the exponential growth of the aviation industry in recent times, it is imperative to curtail greenhouse gas emissions [1,2]. As a result, novel technologies are being implemented, including lightweight structures, improved aerodynamics, and enhanced propulsion efficiency, to minimize fuel usage [3][4][5]. Among these technologies, the lightweight morphing wing holds great promise. ...
The use of elastomer-based skins in morphing wings has become increasingly popular due to their remarkable stretchability and mechanical properties. However, the possibility of the skin fracturing during multiaxial stretching remains a significant design challenge. The propagation of cracks originating from flaws or notches in the skin can lead to the specimen breaking into two parts. This paper presents an experimental study aimed at comprehensively evaluating crack propagation direction, stretchability, and fracture toughness of silicone-based elastomeric skin (Ecoflex) for morphing wing applications, using varying Shore hardness values (10, 30, and 50). The findings show that the lower Shore hardness value of 10 exhibits a unique Sideways crack propagation characteristic, which is ideal for morphing skins due to its high stretchability, low actuation load, and high fracture toughness. The study also reveals that the Ecoflex 10 is suitable for use in span morphing, with a fracture toughness of approximately 1.1 $kJ/m^2$ for all thicknesses at a slower strain rate of 0.4 $mm/min$. Overall, this work highlights the superior properties of Ecoflex 10 and its potential use as a morphing skin material, offering a groundbreaking solution to the challenges faced in this field.
... There is considerable previous work on the optimization and integration of bistable units to facilitate the design of compliant morphing wings. [21][22][23][24][25] These bistable structures could be used to achieve different types of morphing, i.e., span-wise [26][27][28] and camber morphing. 29,30 In this work, we present an aero-structural optimization methodology for the design of morphing wing sections exhibiting selective stiffness and shape "lock-in" capability from embedded bistable elements. ...
Morphing wings provide a potential avenue to improve aerodynamic performance of aircraft operating at multiple design conditions. Nevertheless, morphing wing design is constrained by the mutually exclusive goals of high load-carrying capacity, low weight, and sufficient aerodynamic control authority via conformal shape adaptation. This trade-off can be addressed by exploiting the stiffness selectivity and shape “lock-in” properties enabled by using bistable beam-like elements within compliant structures. In this paper, we present an aero-structural optimization method to realize morphing structures with selective stiffness and shape “lock-in” capability from embedded bistable elements. We leverage an embeddable beam element with an invertible curved arch that provides stiffness selectivity and camber variation to the proposed rib geometry. Optimization objectives and constraints are designed to maximize the structure’s stiffness change and camber morphing “lock-in” effect when operating at two distinct flight conditions. Using the optimization results, we manufacture a wing section demonstrator with selective stiffness and “lock-in” morphing featuring two optimized ribs, a load-carrying skin made of a carbon reinforced laminate, Macro-Fiber Composite (MFC) actuators, and a servo-controlled mechanism for switching the bistable elements’ states. The power and energy requirements of actuating and holding a target deflection are experimentally measured and compared. The results show that the bistable elements can assist in holding a target deflection at a reduced energy cost. Finally, we test the experimental demonstrator in a low-speed wind tunnel demonstrating the load carrying capability and lift variation achieved from switching states.
... This is accomplished by storing strain energy within the structure as it deforms. A number of examples of compliant structures in the form of flexible cellular materials can be found in the spanwise morphing literature [25][26][27][28][29]. These cellular structures, in most cases zero Poisson's ratio honeycombs, are primarily used to provide shear stiffness to elastic skins while retaining flexibility in the spanwise direction. ...
Reduced order models facilitate initial design space investigations and enable assessing the benefits of compliant structures for shape adaptability. This work presents a simple model to determine the flexural rigidity of a beam-like, multistable metastructure utilized as a spar in a hybrid spanwise morphing wing. The model considers the metabeam as a homogeneous 3D beam structure with an equivalent flexural and torsional rigidities. The analytical model's validity is established by comparing the obtained static and dynamic responses to finite element simulations. A closed form expression of the flexural rigidity is then given, drawing from the multistable honeycomb's material properties and the metabeam's geometry. The model's limitations are addressed by examining several special cases of the metabeam's morphed configurations and a more complex metabeam structure.
... To overcome the shortcomings of the PPR/NPR honeycomb and meet the deformation requirements of the morphing structure, researchers have designed a variety of ZPR honeycombs [22][23][24][25][26], such as accordion honeycombs [27][28][29], PZP-NZP hybrid honeycomb [20], SILICOMB honeycombs [23,30], fish cell honeycomb [31], chiral cellular structure [32], four-pointed star shape honeycombs [26] and reconfigurable mechanism modules structures [33]. These ZPR honeycombs have been well studied and explored for the initial application of morphing skin [20,26,27,34,35]. ...
... ( sin + cos + 3.12 sin ) cos (29) Then the equivalent Young's modulus of the 3D ZPR honeycomb in the z direction is obtained. = = 4 cos 3 cos ( sin + cos + 3.12 sin ) ...
Such as flying creatures, morphing aircraft can expand their aerodynamic flight envelopes by changing aerodynamic shapes, significantly improving the scope of application and flight efficiency. A novel 3D Zero Poisson’s Ratio (ZPR) honeycomb structure is designed to meet the flexible deformation requirements of morphing aircraft. The 3D ZPR honeycomb can deform in the three principal directions with smooth borders and isotropic. Analytical models related to the uniaxial and shear stiffnesses are derived using the Timoshenko beam model and validated using the quasi-static compression test. The Poisson’s ratio of the 3D ZPR honeycomb structure has an average value of 0.0038, proving the feasibility of the 3D ZPR concept. Some pneumatic muscle fibers are introduced into the system as flexible actuators to drive the active deformation of the 3D ZPR honeycomb. The active 3D ZPR honeycomb can contract by 14.4%, unidirectionally bend by 7.8°, and multi-directions bend under 0.4 Mpa pressure. Both ZPR properties and flexible morphing capabilities show the potential of this novel 3D ZPR configuration for morphing wings.
... According to Barbarino et al. [3], aircraft wing morphing can be classified into three categories: planform alteration, outof-plane transformation, and airfoil adjustment. Planform (or in-plane) alteration causes geometric changes to the wing, in which the cross-section of the airfoil does not change [8]. Examples include sweep-, span-, and chord-morphing designs. ...
Conventional aircraft use discrete flight control surfaces to maneuver during flight. The gaps and discontinuities of these control surfaces generate drag, which degrades aerodynamic and power efficiencies. Morphing technology aims to replace conventional wings with advanced wings that can change their shape to control the aircraft with the minimum possible induced drag. This paper presents MataMorph-3, a fully morphing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with camber-morphing wings and tail stabilizers. Although previous research has presented successful designs for camber-morphing wing core mechanisms, skin designs suffered from wrinkling, warping, or sagging problems that result in reduced reliability and aerodynamic efficiency. The wing and tail stabilizers of MataMorph-3 feature hybrid ribs with solid leading-edge sections that house servomotors, and compliant trailing-edge sections with integrated flexible ribbons that are connected to the servomotors to camber-morph the ribs. Thin laminated carbon fiber composite skin slides smoothly over the compliant rib sections upon morphing, guided by innovative trailing-edge sliders and skin-supporting linkage mechanisms strategically located between the ribs. Sample prototypes were built and tested to show the effectiveness of the proposed design solutions in enabling smooth camber-morphing. The proposed design provides a better alternative to stretchable skins in morphing airplane designs through the concept of skin sliding.
... Using the technology of 3D printing, a wide range of applications can be performed, which range from manufacturing UAV parts with different functionalities and specifications [21][22][23][24] to fabricating medical devices [25], and even the field of musical instrument research [26]. This shows that 3D printing has a high potential in diverse applications. ...
This paper presents the design of a small size Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) using the 3DEXPERIENCE software. The process of designing the frame parts involves many methods to ensure the parts can meet the requirements while conforming to safety and industry standards. The design steps start with the selection of materials that can be used for the drone, which are polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The drone frame consists of four main parts, which are the center top cover (50 g), the side top cover (10 g), the middle cover (30 g), and the drone’s arm (80 g). A simulation was carried out to determine the stress, displacement, and weight of the drone’s parts. Additionally, a trade-off study was conducted to finalize the shapes of the parts and the various inputs based on their priorities. The outcome of this new design can be represented in design concepts, which involve the use of the snap hook function to assemble two body parts together, namely the middle cover and the center top cover, without the need of an additional fastener.
... The optimization study provided a good insight into the mechanics of this highly coupled design problem. Recently, Bishay et al. [20] introduced a new design for the core of a spanmorphing UAV capable of 50% continuous span morphing. The wing comprised multiple partitions built with three main components: a zero Poisson's ratio honeycomb substructure, telescoping carbon fiber spars, and a linear actuator. ...
This paper presents the development of a novel polymorphing wing capable of Active Span morphing And Passive Pitching (ASAPP) for small UAVs. The span of ASAPP wing can be actively extended by up to 25% to enhance aerodynamic efficiency whilst its pitch near the wingtip can be passively adjusted to alleviate gust loads. To integrate these two morphing mechanisms into one single wing design, each side of the wing is split into two segments (e.g., inboard and outboard segments). The inboard segment is used for span extension whilst the outboard segment is used for passive pitch. The inboard segment consists of a main spar that can translate in the spanwise direction. Flexible skin is used to cover the inboard segment and maintain its aerodynamic shape. The skin transfers the aerodynamic loads to the main spar through a number of ribs that can slide on the main spar through linear plain bearings. A linear actuator located within the fuselage is used for span morphing. The inboard and outboard segments are connected by an overlapping spar surrounded by a torsional spring. The overlapping spar is located ahead of the aerodynamic center of the outboard segment to facilitate passive pitch. The aero-structural design, analysis, and sizing of the ASAPP wing are detailed here. The study shows that the ASAPP wing can be superior to the baseline wing (without morphing) in terms of aerodynamic efficiency, especially when the deformation of the flexible skin is minimal. Moreover, the passive pitching near the wingtip can reduce the root loads significantly minimizing the weight penalty usually associated with morphing.
