Measurement of wing deflections in flexible aircraft using the sansec smart sensor

Abstract

Morphing aircraft are those that have the ability to actively change their shape in flight. There are several benefits of such shape change. For instance, since the optimal shape of an aircraft varies from one mission to another, the morphing concept enables a single aircraft to perform multiple missions during a single flight by executing its shape change feature. The morphing concept also enables an aircraft to achieve performance benefits, such as reduced drag during cruise and increased lift during take-off. The morphing concept is currently being investigated for both largescale passenger sized aircraft, as well as small-scale robotic micro air vehicles.