Morphing Wing, UAV and Aircraft Multidisciplinary Studies at the Laboratory of Applied Research in Active Controls, Avionics and AeroServoElasticity LARCASE

Several large-scale projects were carried out at the LARCASE at ÉTS in numerical studies and experimental tests for morphing aircraft using three equipments. In this article, these projects are explained. First, two projects have been carried out at LARCASE on morphing wing studies in collaboration with industrial and research institutes teams. The first project was carried out in collaboration with aerospace companies, such as Bombardier Aerospace, Thales Canada, the Institute of Aerospace Research – National Research Council of Canada IAR-NRC, and École Polytechnique. The second project was carried out internationally as it took place with the same Canadian partners as those involved in the first project, but it also took place in collaboration with Italian partners of Alenia, CIRA and University of Naples – Frederico II. In these two projects, two morphing wings were designed, and then manufactured and equipped with
several actuators and pressure sensors. These morphing wings designed to improve their aerodynamic performance were then tested in the IAR-NRC wind tunnel. The LARCASE Price-Païdoussis wind tunnel was used for the design and experimental testing of the ATR-42 model aircraft morphing wing models. Numerical results have been obtained following morphing studies of autonomous aerial systems UAS-S4 or S-45. Other morphing type concepts were also applied to the wings and horizontal tail of the Cessna Citation X business aircraft in order to reduce fuel consumption and flight distance.