Design and Testing of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle with Morphing Control Surface 2023-01-5143

The prospective generation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can attempt to eliminate conventional primary control surfaces, thereby seeking to enhance operational efficiency. This endeavor constitutes an experimental manifestation of morphing principles utilizing Shape Memory Alloy (SMA), specifically Nitinol, to actuate control surfaces through a meticulously orchestrated application of power cycles at diverse frequencies. The integration of Morphing Technology has garnered heightened attention within the aviation industry, owing to its capacity to augment efficiency and performance across a spectrum of flight conditions.

The intrinsic appeal of morphing lies in its potential to dynamically alter wing geometry during flight, thereby optimizing fuel efficiency and mitigating environmental impact through diminished carbon emissions resulting from reduced drag. This, in turn, necessitates reduced thrust to achieve similar or same performance levels.

The pivotal material employed for achieving desired shape alterations is Nitinol, distinguished by its Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) characteristics when subjected to controlled heating beyond its transformation temperature. The process entails the passage of current through the Nitinol wire until it reverts to its initial preset configuration. However, this method is inherently limited, attaining only maximum deflection when activated and maintaining a neutral deflection when inactive.

To overcome this inherent constraint, a strategy is devised, involving the manipulation of the control surface deflection angle. This is accomplished through the judicious activation and deactivation of the circuit at varied time intervals, enabling a spectrum of deflection angles to be achieved. This transformative approach holds considerable promise for application in low and medium altitude UAVs, thereby potentially extending their range and/or endurance. With a potential to improve of approx. 2% can be observed compared to conventional methods.