Morphing wing aerodynamic control via macro-fiber-composite actuators in an unmanned aircraft

Abstract

An experimental, theoretical and computational evaluation of a remotely piloted morphing wing aircraft using smart materials is presented. A type of piezoceramic composite actuator commonly known as Macro Fiber Composite is used for wing morphing. The MFC actuators were implemented on a swept wing, 0.76 m wingspan aircraft. The experimental vehicle was flown using two MFC patches in an elevator/aileron (elevon) configuration. Preliminary testing has proven the stability and control of the design which was presented in the authors' previous work. Flight tests were performed to quantify roll control using the actuators. Force and moment coefficients were measured in a low-speed, open section wind tunnel, and a vortex lattice analysis complemented the database of aerodynamic derivatives used to analyze control response. The continuous surface of the MFC actuated composite wing produced lower drag and wider actuation bandwidth.