What is it about?
We developed morphing flaps which are able to quickly change shape to counteract light to moderate turbulence. By conducting automated test flights on an unmanned plane, an average efficiency boost of 25% was found in comparison to conventional hinged flaps.
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Photo by Leif Inge Fosen on Unsplash
Why is it important?
In our research, we are focusing on improving aircraft performance during high-dynamic flap actuation as needed for active turbulence cancelling. Earlier studies primarily investigated aerodynamic efficiencies of morphing wings during steady-state operations such as take-off, landing and cruising, hence information on dynamic application of such adaptive structures is sparse.
Perspectives
Personally, I see great potential in morphing wings, particularly due to advancements in cutting-edge materials and the convenience of using UAVs for real-world data collection.
Mathias Holzer
Turbulence Solutions GmbH
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Unmanned Test Flights of Morphing Flaps for High-Dynamic Direct Lift Control for Turbulence Cancelling, January 2025, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2025-0052.
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