STOWED UNMANNED AIR VEHICLE ENGINEERING, SUAVE

In this Phase II effort the NextGen team will mature the hybrid pivoting wing concept developed in Phase I. The wing design consists of inboard rigid sections and outboard deployable sections. The deployable sections incorporate a load-bearing, actuated spar which provides a large portion of the wing bending stiffness. Torsional stiffess is achieved by using discrete ''''ribfoils'''' which also provide support to the fabric skin. The overall concept was found to have significantly lower weight compared to a purely inflatable design. Phase II work will address: trade-studies to expand the design envelope and establish design sensitivities; non-linear structural analyses and multi-disciplinary optimization to develop detailed design taking into account flutter and static aeroelastic constraints; development of wing control strategies by using active wing twist; and validation of the design by testing sub-scale and full-scale, deployable models. The Phase II work will support the overall Rapid Eye program. The developed technology is also applicable to other unique aircraft such as Mars fliers and deployable small UAVs.