An Efficient SDOF Sweep Wing Morphing Technology for eVTOL-UAV and Experimental Realization
The presented study demonstrates that UAVs can be flown with a morphing wing to develop essential aerodynamic efficiency without a tail structure, which decides the operational cost and flight safety. The mechanical control for morphing is discussed, where the system design, simulation, and experime...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| author | Palaniswamy Shanmugam Parammasivam Kanjikovil Mahali Samikkannu Raja |
| author_facet | Palaniswamy Shanmugam Parammasivam Kanjikovil Mahali Samikkannu Raja |
| author_sort | Palaniswamy Shanmugam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The presented study demonstrates that UAVs can be flown with a morphing wing to develop essential aerodynamic efficiency without a tail structure, which decides the operational cost and flight safety. The mechanical control for morphing is discussed, where the system design, simulation, and experimental realization of ±15° SDOF sweep motion for a 7 kg eVTOL wing are detailed. The methodology, developed through a mathematical modeling of the mechanism’s kinematics and dynamics, is explained using Denavit–Hartenberg (D-H) convention, Lagrangian mechanics, and Euler–Lagrangian equations. The simulation and MBD analyses were performed in MATLAB R2021 and by Altair Motion Solve, respectively. The experiment was conducted on a dedicated test rig with two wing variants fitted with IMUs and an autopilot. The results from various methods were analyzed and experimentally compared to provide an accurate insight into the system’s design, modeling, and performance of the sweep morphing wing. The theoretical calculations by the mathematical model were compared with the test results. The sweep requirement is essential for eVTOL to have long endurance and multi-mission capabilities. Therefore, the developed sweep morphing mechanism is very useful, meeting such a demand. However, the results for three-dimensional morphing, operating sweep, pitch, and roll together are also presented, for the sake of completeness. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Drones |
| spelling | doaj-art-95d8ff49ea784ab98a2b87aa37ebc4e82025-08-20T02:24:25ZengMDPI AGDrones2504-446X2025-06-019643510.3390/drones9060435An Efficient SDOF Sweep Wing Morphing Technology for eVTOL-UAV and Experimental RealizationPalaniswamy Shanmugam0Parammasivam Kanjikovil Mahali1Samikkannu Raja2Department of Aerospace Engineering, MIT, Anna University, Chennai 600025, IndiaDepartment of Aerospace Engineering, MIT, Anna University, Chennai 600025, IndiaCSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, Structural Technological Division, Bangalore 560017, IndiaThe presented study demonstrates that UAVs can be flown with a morphing wing to develop essential aerodynamic efficiency without a tail structure, which decides the operational cost and flight safety. The mechanical control for morphing is discussed, where the system design, simulation, and experimental realization of ±15° SDOF sweep motion for a 7 kg eVTOL wing are detailed. The methodology, developed through a mathematical modeling of the mechanism’s kinematics and dynamics, is explained using Denavit–Hartenberg (D-H) convention, Lagrangian mechanics, and Euler–Lagrangian equations. The simulation and MBD analyses were performed in MATLAB R2021 and by Altair Motion Solve, respectively. The experiment was conducted on a dedicated test rig with two wing variants fitted with IMUs and an autopilot. The results from various methods were analyzed and experimentally compared to provide an accurate insight into the system’s design, modeling, and performance of the sweep morphing wing. The theoretical calculations by the mathematical model were compared with the test results. The sweep requirement is essential for eVTOL to have long endurance and multi-mission capabilities. Therefore, the developed sweep morphing mechanism is very useful, meeting such a demand. However, the results for three-dimensional morphing, operating sweep, pitch, and roll together are also presented, for the sake of completeness.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/6/435wing morphingvariable sweepeVTOL UAVD-H parametersSDOFLagrangian mechanics |
| spellingShingle | Palaniswamy Shanmugam Parammasivam Kanjikovil Mahali Samikkannu Raja An Efficient SDOF Sweep Wing Morphing Technology for eVTOL-UAV and Experimental Realization Drones wing morphing variable sweep eVTOL UAV D-H parameters SDOF Lagrangian mechanics |
| title | An Efficient SDOF Sweep Wing Morphing Technology for eVTOL-UAV and Experimental Realization |
| title_full | An Efficient SDOF Sweep Wing Morphing Technology for eVTOL-UAV and Experimental Realization |
| title_fullStr | An Efficient SDOF Sweep Wing Morphing Technology for eVTOL-UAV and Experimental Realization |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Efficient SDOF Sweep Wing Morphing Technology for eVTOL-UAV and Experimental Realization |
| title_short | An Efficient SDOF Sweep Wing Morphing Technology for eVTOL-UAV and Experimental Realization |
| title_sort | efficient sdof sweep wing morphing technology for evtol uav and experimental realization |
| topic | wing morphing variable sweep eVTOL UAV D-H parameters SDOF Lagrangian mechanics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/6/435 |
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