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Inspired by the flight of birds, engineers recently improved the performance of a remote-controlled aircraft by adding rows of hidden wings to the aircraft’s wings. These flaps, modeled
Inspired by the flight of birds, engineers recently improved the performance of a remote-controlled aircraft by adding rows of hidden wings to the aircraft’s wings. These flaps, modeled after the feathers that birds spread during certain maneuvers, help the aircraft resist stalling and increase stability.
Research led by Professor Amy Wiss of Princeton University shows significant improvements in aviation performance through the use of lightweight, inexpensive modifications that do not require additional power.
“These flaps can both help the aircraft avoid stalling and make it easier to regain control when stalling occurs,” Vissa said.
The technology dovetails with bird biology, particularly the hidden feathers that birds use when roosting or against strong winds. Although biologists have observed these feather movements, no study has been able to accurately measure their aerodynamic effects on bird flight. But this study shows how similar flaps could work on airplanes.
Girgis Sedki, a doctoral researcher and lead author of the study, described the wings as “a simple and cost-effective way to significantly increase flight performance without the need for additional electricity.” By mimicking hidden feathers, the wings open in response to changes in airflow without the need for external control systems. When placed strategically, these flexible wings increase the aircraft’s performance and stability without the need for complex hardware.
The design principle is a teardrop-shaped wing that accelerates airflow at the top, creating lift through a combination of low pressure at the top and lift at the bottom.
In certain flight conditions, especially at steep angles, the aircraft may stall as lift is significantly reduced. The researchers found that by adding stealth wings, they could prevent the drop in lift and allow the aircraft to maintain control.
Wissa’s team conducted tests in a wind tunnel on Princeton’s Forrestal campus to observe how these hidden blades affected the movement of air around the blades.
“Wind tunnel experiments give us very precise measurements of how air interacts with wings and wings,” Sedki said. he explained. The installation included a laser and a high-speed camera to record airflow, as well as sensors that recorded aerodynamic forces on the wings.
During testing, researchers identified two previously unknown aerodynamic control mechanisms, one of which is called shear layer interaction. This interaction occurs when an aileron near the front of the wing regulates airflow, increasing stability. When the wings are placed at the rear, they activate the second mechanism and contribute more to the lift force.
Testing a variety of configurations, from single-row wings to multi-row wings, showed that the five-row setup increased lift by 45 percent and reduced drag by 30 percent.
“The discovery of this new mechanism solved the mystery of why birds have these feathers near the front of their wings,” Wissa said.
Adding more flaps to the front of the wing improved performance; This suggests that birds’ covert feathers likely play a critical role in their aerodynamic control.
Following the success of the wind tunnel experiments, the team moved on to field testing at Princeton’s Forrestal campus.
Collaborating with Nathaniel Simon, a graduate student specializing in drone flights, they tested the stealth wings of a radio-controlled (RC) aircraft equipped with an onboard computer. Simon programmed the computer to recreate stall conditions, allowing the team to observe wing deployment and performance.
“It’s great to be able to collaborate in a shared space on the Forrestal campus and see how many areas of research this project touches,” said Simon, describing the effectiveness of flaps in reducing evacuation intensity during flight.
Success in real-world conditions was similar to wind tunnel results and confirmed that these flaps could significantly delay stall and stabilize flight.
Beyond aviation, the researchers believe these biological insights could benefit other industries where altering airflow could improve performance.
“What we discovered about how the coating changes airflow around the wing can be applied to other fluids and other bodies, so it could also apply to cars, submarines, and even wind turbines,” Sedki said.
The research also opens up new opportunities to collaborate with biologists to deepen our understanding of covert feathers during bird flight. Wissa sees the potential to advance both engineering and biological research through these discoveries.
“That’s the power of biotechnology-inspired design. “The ability to bring things from biology to engineering to improve our mechanical systems and use our engineering tools to answer questions about biology,” he concluded. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Source: Port Altele
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