Effect of twist morphing wing segment on aerodynamic performance of UAV

The design space for morphing wings is incredibly broad and allows for a wide range of improvements versus fixed wing aircrafts such that each type of morphing can be useful for different purposes. This work introduces a novel concept for a twist morphing wing segment where only a segment of the wing is actuated which causes a rotation of the tip of the wing while the base segment fixed. The morphing segment consists of a smart soft composite structure made from PDMS and PLA which is actuated by multiple embedded SMA wires. This structure was implemented in a UAV-sized wing and was tested both in still-air conditions and in an open-type wind tunnel to determine the actual impact of this mode of actuation. Results show that this concept can improve the aerodynamic properties of the wing, particularly at low angles of attack.