Optimizing flexible wing composite structure for mini-uavs

• Main Author: Weerasooriya Mudiyanselage.
• Other Authors: Sunil Chandrakant Joshi
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Aeronautical engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/55146
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles [UAV] are famous in modem Civil and military aerospace applications. Its functionality and size lie in a broad area from small spy UAV to drone attack UAV and various civil applications like traffic observation and reporting. Mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicle abbreviated as MAV is famous in special battle field troops. Therefore MAV was developed to be suitable for combat troops, which is a highly portable and better performance. MAV presented here can be folded like a cylinder and carried easily in a cylindrical tube. MAV is ready to launch as soon as taken out of the cylinder, which is a huge advantage compared to other existing options. In order to develop this MAV, optimization of wing structure was required. It should be foldable in one direction to be portable and it should be stiff in the opposite direction to withstand flying conditions. Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) wing was designed and various type of layups were analysed in ANSYS to find stress concentration on the wing structure according to the foldable loading conditions and flying conditions. After trying a number of iterations for layer orientations, it was found that the 3 layers of CFRP oriented in [±45] directions were the most suitable for wing structure. That layup has the least stress concentration in the desired folding situation. To validate these predictions, wing was manufactured and tested. It was manufactured in autoclave process by curing 120 min at 125°C and 100 psi. Then it was tested for flying condition and for the folding conditions. In a folding test, it was folded to the desired size. The comfort of folding and the shape of folding were compared with the existing models. Next, the wing was tested in wind tunnel to check its flying characteristics. It is concluded that this wing design gives the best folding and flying conditions. Further, it was understood that the stiffness should be acquired by geometrical camber and the flexibility should be maximised by optimizing the composite layup.