Application of Smart Materials for Adaptive Airfoil Shape Control

The development of adaptive airfoil control can potentially improve flight performance by optimizing the maximum lift-to-drag ratio throughout all flight regimes. Improved flight performance translates into weight and fuel savings. Smart material is a suitable candidate for adaptive airfoil design as it can be activated to alter the shape of the airfoil. This paper presents an overview of smart material application for adaptive airfoil control with focus on shape memory alloy actuator and flexible skin for variable camber airfoil. This investigation is the first step in the development of an adaptive airfoil that is able to be utilized on an Uninhibited Aerial Vehicle. The influence of changing airfoil’s maximum camber on aerodynamic performance was also explored and the analysis is presented.

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