Calibration of a 3-Component External Balance for MAVs Wind Tunnel Research

This paper presents a 3-component external balance, specifically designed, built, and calibrated at the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) for measuring aerodynamic forces on Micro Aerial Vehicles in the wind tunnel. The balance employs high-precision strain gauge cells as its load-s...

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Main Authors: Rafael Bardera, Ángel Antonio Rodriguez-Sevillano, Estela Barroso Barderas, Suthyvann Sor, Juan Carlos Matías García
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/23/11236
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author Rafael Bardera
Ángel Antonio Rodriguez-Sevillano
Estela Barroso Barderas
Suthyvann Sor
Juan Carlos Matías García
author_facet Rafael Bardera
Ángel Antonio Rodriguez-Sevillano
Estela Barroso Barderas
Suthyvann Sor
Juan Carlos Matías García
author_sort Rafael Bardera
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents a 3-component external balance, specifically designed, built, and calibrated at the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) for measuring aerodynamic forces on Micro Aerial Vehicles in the wind tunnel. The balance employs high-precision strain gauge cells as its load-sensing elements, strategically positioned in a metallic structure to measure lift force, aerodynamic drag force, and pitching moment. The entire calibration process of the balance, including the mathematical formulation to derive the calibration matrix and the calibration bench designed and manufactured for this purpose, is detailed in this paper. Moreover, the complete analysis of component interferences of the aerodynamic components and an assessment of the uncertainties inherent in the system are presented.
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
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spelling doaj-art-b4e89c476c4a4ec2bebf88030135ff6f2025-08-20T01:55:33ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172024-12-0114231123610.3390/app142311236Calibration of a 3-Component External Balance for MAVs Wind Tunnel ResearchRafael Bardera0Ángel Antonio Rodriguez-Sevillano1Estela Barroso Barderas2Suthyvann Sor3Juan Carlos Matías García4Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, SpainEscuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Aeronáutica y del Espacio, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainInstituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, SpainInstituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, SpainInstituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, SpainThis paper presents a 3-component external balance, specifically designed, built, and calibrated at the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) for measuring aerodynamic forces on Micro Aerial Vehicles in the wind tunnel. The balance employs high-precision strain gauge cells as its load-sensing elements, strategically positioned in a metallic structure to measure lift force, aerodynamic drag force, and pitching moment. The entire calibration process of the balance, including the mathematical formulation to derive the calibration matrix and the calibration bench designed and manufactured for this purpose, is detailed in this paper. Moreover, the complete analysis of component interferences of the aerodynamic components and an assessment of the uncertainties inherent in the system are presented.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/23/11236external balancecalibrationmeasurement
spellingShingle Rafael Bardera
Ángel Antonio Rodriguez-Sevillano
Estela Barroso Barderas
Suthyvann Sor
Juan Carlos Matías García
Calibration of a 3-Component External Balance for MAVs Wind Tunnel Research
Applied Sciences
external balance
calibration
measurement
title Calibration of a 3-Component External Balance for MAVs Wind Tunnel Research
title_full Calibration of a 3-Component External Balance for MAVs Wind Tunnel Research
title_fullStr Calibration of a 3-Component External Balance for MAVs Wind Tunnel Research
title_full_unstemmed Calibration of a 3-Component External Balance for MAVs Wind Tunnel Research
title_short Calibration of a 3-Component External Balance for MAVs Wind Tunnel Research
title_sort calibration of a 3 component external balance for mavs wind tunnel research
topic external balance
calibration
measurement
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/23/11236
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AT suthyvannsor calibrationofa3componentexternalbalanceformavswindtunnelresearch
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