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Intelligent Control for Morphing Aircraft

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
Air Force 		Award ID:
73216 		Program Year/Program:
2005 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
F051-244-2502 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Barron Associates, Inc.
1410 Sachem Place CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2005
Title: Intelligent Control for Morphing Aircraft
Agency / Branch: DOD / USAF
Contract: FA8650-05-M-3553
Award Amount: $99,679.00
 

Abstract:

A morphing aircraft tailors its configuration to optimize performance at very dissimilar flight conditions. To lay the foundation for a truly multi-role aircraft, research efforts are currently focusing on technologies that enable substantial changes to the wing configuration, including 200 percent aspect-ratio, 50 percent surface-area, 5 deg. wing-twist, and 20 deg. wing-sweep variations. Despite significant strides to develop wing/actuation systems that achieve such configuration changes, much work remains to effectively control these systems. The proposed Phase I research will address two significant control challenges associated with advanced morphing wing designs. First, how does one control the aircraft-wing shape itself using multiple, innovative effectors in a dynamic environment characterized by variable loads? Second, how does one integrate wing control and flight control to ensure aircraft stability during wing-state transitions? In Phase I, Barron Associates, NextGen Aeronautics, and Dr. Dan Inman of VT will develop morphing-wing and aircraft models suitable for on-line interrogation in a control law. The team will emphasize the design of real-time control architecture - made up of two integrated nonlinear controllers that exploit these models - to accomplish the stated control objectives. This research sets the stage for Phase II hardware-in-the-loop, wind-tunnel, and (possibly) flight tests of the morphing-aircraft controllers.

Principal Investigator:

Jeffrey F. Monaco
Senior Research Scientist
4349731215
monaco@barron-associates.com

Business Contact:

B. E. Parker, Jr.
Chairman
4349731215
barron@barron-associates.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

BARRON ASSOC., INC.
1410 Sachem Place, Suite 202 Charlottesville, VA 22901

EIN/Tax ID: 541243694
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No