Aeroelastic Analysis of Micro Air Vehicles

A computational aeroelastic analysis of a micro air
vehicle (MAV) is conducted. This MAV has a 24 inch
wing span, and is designed for local area
reconnaissance. Wind tunnel data for the MAV with a
rigid carbon ber wing and a exible carbon ber
ribbed nylon wing are compared to CFD results
incorporating static and dynamic deformations. We use
laser vibrometry to determine the mode shapes of the exible wing. From these shapes, CFD grid
deformations are calculated as part of a
closely-coupled aeroelastic solution method. The
accuracy of MAV performance predictions using CFD
with and without aeroelastic modeling is evaluated
against previous wind-tunnel experiments. The
performance bene ts of the exible wing, and the
applicability and limitations of the model are
evaluated in the present research e ort. Some
suggestions are made as to improvements that can be
made to increase the range of applicability and the
accuracy of the model.

Autorentext

Joshua Stults is a student in the Doctoral program atthe Air Force Institute of Technology. Prior to arriving at AFIThe lead a small team of professionals in Live Fire Test andEvaluation. He has experience in flight test, computational fluiddynamics and aeroelastics, and weapons effects. He is a graduateof the United States Air Force Academy.

Klappentext

A computational aeroelastic analysis of a micro airvehicle (MAV) is conducted. This MAV has a 24 inchwing span, and is designed for local areareconnaissance. Wind tunnel data for the MAV with arigid carbon ber wing and a exible carbon berribbed nylon wing are compared to CFD resultsincorporating static and dynamic deformations. We uselaser vibrometry to determine the mode shapes of the exible wing. From these shapes, CFD griddeformations are calculated as part of aclosely-coupled aeroelastic solution method. Theaccuracy of MAV performance predictions using CFDwith and without aeroelastic modeling is evaluatedagainst previous wind-tunnel experiments. Theperformance bene ts of the exible wing, and theapplicability and limitations of the model areevaluated in the present research e ort. Somesuggestions are made as to improvements that can bemade to increase the range of applicability and theaccuracy of the model.