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On the effectiveness of active aeroelastic structures for morphing aircraft

Part of: Smart Aircraft

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2016

R. M. Ajaj ,
M. I. Friswell  and
E. I. Saavedra Flores
R. M. Ajaj*
Affiliation:
Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
M. I. Friswell
Affiliation:
College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
E. I. Saavedra Flores
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ingeniería en Obras Civiles, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
*
[email protected]
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Abstract

This note assesses the benefits of active aeroelastic structures (AAS) in enhancing flight performance and control authority. A representative AAS concept, whose torsional stiffness and shear centre position can be altered depending on the instantaneous flight condition, is employed in the wing of a medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAV. A multidisciplinary design optimisation (MDO) suite is used in this study. It turns out that AAS can be very effective when used for enhancing control authority of the vehicle but have limited benefits in terms of flight performance (lift to drag).

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 117 , Issue 1197 , November 2013 , pp. 1167 - 1176
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2013 

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