Main Article Content
Abstract
The development of a light-weight composite Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) airframe incorporating a novel foam grid based design into Glass prepreg composites is presented. Various combinations of advanced materials are judiciously utilized in different structural configurations to realize diverse requirements in the airframe. Advanced manufacturing techniques such as rapid prototyping, water jet cutting and autoclave curing ensure accurate conformance to the complex contour as well as precise tailored distribution of structural mass. The foam grid based design approach using Glass composites ensures low mass, provides stiffness in multiple directions, imparts crashworthy features and eliminates the problem of electrical leakages. Good correlation between analysis and static test measurement of wing deformation is found. Various issues in the development of a lightweight MAV airframe pertaining to design, tooling, fabrication, testing and analysis are discussed.
Keywords
Article Details
References
- Mueller, T.J., Proceedings of the Conference on "Fixed, Flapping and Rotary Wing Vehicles at Very Low Reynolds Numbers", Notre Dame University, Indiana, USA, 5-7 June, 2000.
- Grasmeyer, J. and Keenon, M., "Development of the Black Widow Micro Air Vehicle", AIAA Paper 2001-0127, January 2001.
- Galinski, C., "Gust Resistant Fixed Wing Micro Air Vehicle", Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 1586-1589, 2006.
- Yang, L.J., Hsu, C.K., Ho, J.Y. and Feng, C.K., "Flapping Wings with PVDF Sensors to Modify the Aerodynamic Forces of a Micro Aerial Vehicle", Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Vol. 139, No. 1-2, pp. 95-103, 2007.
- Kim, D.K., Han, J.H. and Kwon K.J., "Wind Tunnel Tests for a Flapping Wing Model with a Changeable Camber Using Macro-fiber Composite Actuators", Smart Materials and Structures, Vol. 18, No. 2, Paper No. 024008, 2009.
- Ifju, P., Ettinger, S., Jenkins, D. and Martinez, L., "Composite Materials for Micro Air Vehicles", SAMPE Journal, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 7-13, 2001.
- Lian, Y., Shyy, W. and Ifju, P.G., "Membrane Wing Model for Micro Air Vehicles", AIAA Journal, Vol. 41, No.12, pp. 2492-2494, 2003.
- Stanford, B., Ifju, P., Albertani, R. and Shyy, W., Fixed Membrane Wings for Micro Air Vehicles: Experimental Characterization, Numerical Modeling and Tailoring", Progress in Aerospace Sciences, Vol.44, No. 4, pp.258-294, 2008.
- Pines, D.J. and Bohorquez, F., "Challenges Facing Future Micro Air Vehicle Development", Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 290-305, 2006.
- Abdulrahim, M., Garcia, H. and Lind, R., "Flight Characteristics of Shaping the Membrane Wing of a Micro Air Vehicle", Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 42, No.1, pp. 131-137, 2005.
- Stanford, B., Abdulrahim, M., Lind, R. and Ifju, P., "Design and Optimization of Morphing Mechanisms for Highly Flexible Micro Air Vehicles", AIAA Paper 2006-2161, Proceedings of the 47th AIAA /ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, Newport, Rhode Island, May 1-4, 2006.
References
Mueller, T.J., Proceedings of the Conference on "Fixed, Flapping and Rotary Wing Vehicles at Very Low Reynolds Numbers", Notre Dame University, Indiana, USA, 5-7 June, 2000.
Grasmeyer, J. and Keenon, M., "Development of the Black Widow Micro Air Vehicle", AIAA Paper 2001-0127, January 2001.
Galinski, C., "Gust Resistant Fixed Wing Micro Air Vehicle", Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 43, No. 5, pp. 1586-1589, 2006.
Yang, L.J., Hsu, C.K., Ho, J.Y. and Feng, C.K., "Flapping Wings with PVDF Sensors to Modify the Aerodynamic Forces of a Micro Aerial Vehicle", Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Vol. 139, No. 1-2, pp. 95-103, 2007.
Kim, D.K., Han, J.H. and Kwon K.J., "Wind Tunnel Tests for a Flapping Wing Model with a Changeable Camber Using Macro-fiber Composite Actuators", Smart Materials and Structures, Vol. 18, No. 2, Paper No. 024008, 2009.
Ifju, P., Ettinger, S., Jenkins, D. and Martinez, L., "Composite Materials for Micro Air Vehicles", SAMPE Journal, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 7-13, 2001.
Lian, Y., Shyy, W. and Ifju, P.G., "Membrane Wing Model for Micro Air Vehicles", AIAA Journal, Vol. 41, No.12, pp. 2492-2494, 2003.
Stanford, B., Ifju, P., Albertani, R. and Shyy, W., Fixed Membrane Wings for Micro Air Vehicles: Experimental Characterization, Numerical Modeling and Tailoring", Progress in Aerospace Sciences, Vol.44, No. 4, pp.258-294, 2008.
Pines, D.J. and Bohorquez, F., "Challenges Facing Future Micro Air Vehicle Development", Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 290-305, 2006.
Abdulrahim, M., Garcia, H. and Lind, R., "Flight Characteristics of Shaping the Membrane Wing of a Micro Air Vehicle", Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 42, No.1, pp. 131-137, 2005.
Stanford, B., Abdulrahim, M., Lind, R. and Ifju, P., "Design and Optimization of Morphing Mechanisms for Highly Flexible Micro Air Vehicles", AIAA Paper 2006-2161, Proceedings of the 47th AIAA /ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference, Newport, Rhode Island, May 1-4, 2006.