Development of an Innovative Practical UAV with no Moving Aerodynamic Control Surfaces

Aerotonomy, Incorporated (AI) and subcontractor Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) will apply the latest knowledge in circulation control and piezo-electric synthetic (zero net mass flux) jet actuators (SJAs) to develop a practical small UAV with no hinged control surfaces. In the area of flow control, low jet momentum coefficient SJAs have been used primarily as a mechanism to keep flow attached that would normally be separated. Thus, low jet momentum coefficient SJAs located near the wing leading edge have been shown, in experimental projects such as the NASA/GTRI Stingray UAV and the Aeroprobe/Texas A&M hingeless flow control project, to be effective for producing forces and moments suitable for flight control only at high angles of attack. The innovation in this project will be to use low jet momentum coefficient SJAs in conjunction with Coanda surface trailing edges on the wings and tail surfaces to generate control forces and moments in three axes both at high and low angles of attack.