Modeling of flight dynamics of morphing-wing aircraft

Abstract

Aircraft with variable wing geometry (morphable wings) are of considerable interest, not only for mission-specific optimization but for enhanced maneuverability as well. In the nascent field of mini or micro unmanned aerial vehicles, large and rapid changes in wing geometry are achievable, resulting in significant changes of the dynamics of the vehicle. In this paper, a simulation methodology suitable for such aircraft is presented, accounting for the changes in both the aerodynamic and inertial properties. Because of the complexity of the possible wing configurations, the aerodynamics are simulated using an unsteady vortex-lattice approach, solved concurrently with six-degree-offreedom (+) nonlinear equations of motion. The time dependence of the inertia tensor and motion of mass within the body frame are explicitly taken into account, resulting in additional body-frame forces and moments. The simulation methodology is applied to various gull-wing configurations, and the flight dynamics are analyzed through nonlinear simulation. © Copyright 2010.