EQUIPMENT TO TEST AND DEVELOP R.P.V. AERODYNAMIC ENHANCEMENT DEVICES

THE PERFORMANCE OF REMOTE PILOTED VEHICLES (RPV'S) CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED BY PASSIVE DEVICES FOR CONTROLLING THE TURBULENT BOUNDARY LAYER. THESE DEVICES RANGE FROM SURFACE DEVICES FOR DRAG REDUCTION TO VORTEX GENERATORS FOR SEPARATION CONTROL. CURRENTLYTHERE IS LITTLE APPLICATION OF THESE DEVICES DUE TO A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THEM, AND LIMITED PERFORMANCE DATA. VORTEX GENERATORS ARE ONLY USED TO SOLVE EXISTING SEPARATION PROBLEMS, INSTEAD OF BEING INTEGRALLY INCLUDED IN THE DESIGN. WITH THIS SIMPLE AND INEXPENSIVE DEDICATED TUNNEL, HUNDREDS OF POSSIBLE DEVICES CAN BE TESTED. THE RESULTS WILL SHOW WHICH DEVICES CAN BE USED TO REDUCE DRAG AND HOW VORTEX GENERATORS CAN BE USED AS A DESIGN TOOL TO SUPPRESS SEPARATION.THESE DEVICES WILL ALLOW RPV'S TO BE DESIGNED WITH ENHANCED RANGE, SPEED, AND MANEUVERABILITY. THE RESEARCH WILL ALSO GIVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE TURBULENT BOUNDARY LAYER FOR ADVANCES IN PERFORMANCE. A VARIETY OF CANDIDATE DEVICES WILL BE SELECTED AND A SPECIAL PURPOSE TUNNEL WITH AUTOMATED INSTRUMENTATION WILL BE DESIGNED IN THE PRESENT PROJECT, PHASE I. PHASE II WILL COVER THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TUNNEL AND THE DEVICE TEST PROGRAM.