This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Expanding the Small UAV Design Space with Inflatable Wings
Technical Paper
2007-01-3911
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
The paper presents work on development, testing and vehicle integration of inflatable wings for small UAVs. Recent advances in the design of inflatable lifting surfaces have removed previous deterrents to their use and multiple wing designs have been successfully flight tested on UAVs. Primary benefits of inflatable wings include stowability (deploy upon command) and robustness (highly resistant to damage). The inflatable planforms can be either full- or partial-span designs allowing a large design space and mission adaptability. The wings can be stowed when not in use and inflated prior to or during flight. Since inflatable designs have improved survivability over rigid wings, this has the prospect of increasing vehicle robustness and combat survivability. Damage resistance of inflatable wings is shown from results of laboratory and flight tests. Since the wings lack conventional control surfaces, other control strategies have been investigated including wing warping, which has been shown to be just as effective and has numerous advantages over traditional control methods. Mechanical manipulation of the wing shape on a test vehicle has been demonstrated to be an effective means of roll control through full scale flight testing. This paper discusses these advantages and disadvantages of inflatable wings for use in UAVs, particularly those designs focusing on small vehicles and use in extreme environments.
Authors
Citation
Jacob, J., Smith, S., Cadogan, D., and Scarborough, S., "Expanding the Small UAV Design Space with Inflatable Wings," SAE Technical Paper 2007-01-3911, 2007, https://doi.org/10.4271/2007-01-3911.Also In
References
- Cadogan D. Smith T. Lee R. Scarborough S. Graziosi D. “ Inflatable and Rigidizable Wing Components for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, ” AIAA No. AIAA-2003-6630, 44th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference Norfolk, VA April 2003
- Cadogan D. Smith T. Uhelsky M. MacKusick M. “ Morphing Inflatable Wing Development for Compact Package Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, ” AIAA 2004-1807, 12th AIAA/ASME/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference Palm Springs, CA April 2004
- Simpson A. “Design and Performance of UAVs with Inflatable Wings, ” Ph.D. Dissertation University of Kentucky December 2007
- Cocke B. “Wind-Tunnel Investigation of the Aerodynamics and Structural Deflection Characteristics of the Goodyear Inflatoplane, ” NACA RM L58E09 September 1958
- Murray J. Pahle J. Thornton S. Frackowiak T. Mello J. Norton B. “Ground and Flight Evaluation of a Small-Scale Inflatable-Winged Aircraft.” AIAA-2002-0820, 40th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting & Exhibit Reno, NV Jan 1417 2005
- Smith S. Hahn A. Johnson W. Kinnery D. Pollitt J. Reuther R. “The Design of the Canyon Flyer, an Airplane for Mars Exploration.” AIAA-2000-0514, 38th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Reno, NV Jan 2000
- Landis G. Colozza A. LaMarre C. “Atmospheric Flight on Venus, ” AIAA-2002-0819, 40th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Reno, NV January 2002
- Hall D. Parks R. Morris S. “Airplane for Mars Exploration: Conceptual Design of the Full-Scale Vehicle Design, Construction and Test of Performance and Deployment Models, ” Final Report May 1997
- Usui M. Jacob J. Smith S. Scarborough S. Cadogan D. “Second Generation Inflatable/Rigidizable Wings for Low-Density Applications, ” 46th AIAA Gossamer Spacecraft Forum Austin, TX April 2005
- Simpson A. Usui M. Smith S. Jacob J. “Development and Flight Testing of a UAV with Inflatable-Rigidizable Wings, ” AIAA-2004-1373, 42nd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit Reno, NV January 2004
- Jacob J. Lumpp J. Smith S. Smith W. “Multidisciplinary Design Experience of a High Altitude Inflatable Wing UAV for Aerospace Workforce Development, ” AIAA-2006-0093, 44th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit Reno, NV January 2006
- Reasor D. LeBeau R. Smith S. Jacob J. “Flight Testing and Simulation of a Mars Aircraft Design Using Inflatable Wings, ” AIAA-2007-0243, 45th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit Reno, NV January 2007
- Simpson A. Usui M. Smith S. Jacob J. “Aeromechanics of Inflatable Wings.” AIAA 34th Fluid Dynamics Conference Portland, OR June 2004
- Simpson A. Jacob J. “Aerodynamic Optimization of an Inflatable Wing Using Wing Warping.” AIAA 35th Fluid Dynamics Conference Toronto, Canada June 2005
- Jacob J. Simpson A. Smith S. “Design and Flight Testing of Inflatable Wings with Wing Warping, ” SAE Transactions Journal of Aerospace 2005 2005-01-3392 1306 1315
- Simpson A. Jacob J. Smith S. “Flight Control of a UAV with Inflatable Wings with Wing Warping, ” AIAA-2006-2831, 24th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference San Francisco, CA Jun 5-8 2006
- Simpson A. Smith S. Jacob J. “Aeroelastic Behavior of Inflatable Wings: Wind Tunnel and Flight Testing, ” AIAA-2007-1069, 45th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit Reno, NV January 2007
- Simpson A. Rowe J. Smith S. Jacob J. “Aeroelastic Deformation and Buckling of Inflatable Wings under Dynamic Loads, ” AIAA-2007-2239, 48th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/ AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference Honolulu, Hawaii April 23-26 2007
- Chandler J. Jacob J. “Design and Flight Testing of a Mars Aircraft Prototype Using Inflatable Wings, ” 58th International Astronautical Congress Hyderabad, India September 24 2007
- Peck M. “Undersized Drone Promises Extended Maritime Surveillance, ” National Defense Magazine January 2006
- Pines D. Blondeau J. Richeson J. “Design, Development and Testing of a Morphing Aspect Ratio Wing Using an Inflatable Telescopic Spar.” AIAA 2003-1718, 44th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference Norfolk 7-10 April 2003
- Drela M. “XFOIL: An Analysis and Design System for Low Reynolds Number Airfoils., ” Low Reynolds Number Aerodynamics. Mueller T.J. Lecture Notes in Engineering No.54 Springer Verlag 1989
- Rendall T. Chang C. Marzocca P. Bollt E. Zamankhan P. “Aeroelastic Behaviour of a Non-Rigidizable Inflatable UAV Wing, ” AIAA-2006-2161, 47th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference May 2006
- Lissaman P. B. S. “Low-Reynolds-Number Airfoils, ” Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics 223 39 1983
- Loh B. Jacob J. “Development and Testing of In Flight Aspect Ratio Morphing Using Inflatable Wings, ” To be presented at the 46th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit Reno, NV January 2008