Experimental investigations of a full model with adaptive elasto-flexible membrane wings

The morphing wing concept aims to constantly adapt the aerodynamics to different flight stages. The wing is able to adapt to different flight conditions by an adjustable Aspect Ratio (AR) and sweep. A high AR configuration provides high aerodynamic efficiency, while a low AR configuration, with highly swept wings offers a good maneuverability. Additionally, the flexible membrane allows the wing surface to stretch and contract in-plane as well as the airfoil to adapt to different aerodynamic loads. In the context of this work, the aerodynamic characteristics of a full model with form-adaptive elasto-flexible membrane wings are investigated experimentally. The focus is on the high-lift regime and on the analysis of the aerodynamic coefficients as well as their sensitivities. Especially, the lateral aerodynamic derivatives at asymmetric wing positions are of interest.     «

The morphing wing concept aims to constantly adapt the aerodynamics to different flight stages. The wing is able to adapt to different flight conditions by an adjustable Aspect Ratio (AR) and sweep. A high AR configuration provides high aerodynamic efficiency, while a low AR configuration, with highly swept wings offers a good maneuverability. Additionally, the flexible membrane allows the wing surface to stretch and contract in-plane as well as the airfoil to adapt to different aerodynamic load...     »