Active control design for an unmanned air vehicle with a morphing wing
Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology
ISSN: 0002-2667
Article publication date: 4 January 2016
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop an active controller of both leading-edge (LE) and trailing-edge (TE) control surfaces for an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) with a composite morphing wing.
Design/methodology/approach
Instead of conventional hinged control surfaces, both LE and TE seamless control surfaces were integrated with the wing. Based on the longitudinal state space equation, the root locus plot of the morphing wing aircraft, with a stability augmented system, was constructed. Using the pole placement, the feedback gain matrix for an active control was obtained.
Findings
The aerodynamic benefits of a morphing wing section are compared with a wing of a rigid control surface. However, the 3D morphing wing with a large sweptback angle produces a washout negative aeroelastic effect, which causes a significant reduction of the control effectiveness. The results show that the stability augmentation system can significantly improve the longitudinal controllability of an aircraft with a morphing wing.
Practical implications
This study is necessary to analyse the effect of a morphing wing on an UAV and perform a comparison with the rigid model.
Originality/value
The control surfaces assignment plan for trim, pitch and roll control was obtained. An active control algorism for the morphing wing was created to satisfy the required stability and control effectiveness by operating the LE and TE control surfaces according to flight conditions. The aeroelastic effect of control derivatives on the morphing aircraft was considered.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11402014) and the State Key Basic Research Program of China (No. 2011CB707002).
Citation
Li, D., Guo, S., Aburass, T.O., Yang, D. and Xiang, J. (2016), "Active control design for an unmanned air vehicle with a morphing wing", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 88 No. 1, pp. 168-177. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-12-2013-0234
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited