via Illinois Institute of Technology
Technology developed by Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor David Williams could lead to aircraft that avoid radar detection, more fuel-efficient planes
A research team at Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech), led by Professor David Williams, has for the first time demonstrated the use of a novel control method in an aircraft with no tail. The technology allows an aircraft to be as smooth and sleek as possible, making it safer to fly in dangerous areas where radar scans the sky for sharp edges.
While conventional aircraft rely on protruding fins to enable steering, a tailless design is controlled by active air flow—in which jets of air are blown onto different surfaces of the aircraft body, corresponding to which direction the aircraft is moving. This technology could be employed to make commercial airplanes more fuel-efficient by removing existing steering parts that create a lot of drag.
Williams, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, led a team of Illinois Tech students and collaborators in the construction of a jet that houses both conventional steering controls and a novel implementation of active flow control.
In October 2022 the group launched the jet from the Pendleton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Range in Oregon for two nine-minute flights that demonstrated the success of the system.
For each flight, one pilot launched the jet using conventional flight controls. Then, midflight, they switched control to a second pilot who operated the active flow control system.
In the first test, the team found that the active flow control system actually provided more power than had been predicted from wind tunnel tests.
“In engineering, it never works that way, you almost always get less than you were hoping for, but in this case, we got more,” says Williams. “The first day was very dramatic. It was very strong and very scary. If the jet gets too far over on its side, it could spin out of control. In fact, it did go over to 90 degrees, but it recovered.”
Once the pilot gained confidence in their ability to control the craft, they executed roll and pitch maneuvers to test the active flow control’s ability to steer the jet at steep angles.
An advantage of active flow control is that it has the potential to allow for maneuvers that are impossible with conventional controls, including very fast turns and the ability to fly at angles that would cause conventional controls to become ineffective.
Williams says the unexpected power of their system has increased his confidence that they will be able to do these more advanced maneuvers with this jet.
For their second flight, Williams reduced the power to the active flow control system for a safer, more stable flight, allowing them to collect more data about how the active flow control was operating.
The active flow control is implemented using a patent-pending Coanda valve designed by Williams and his students, and this was their first chance to show the design’s success on an aircraft.
Williams says the team will be conducting more flight tests, gradually building toward using the active flow control during takeoff and conducting more extreme control maneuvers.
“We’ve made the breakthrough that I was looking for,” says Williams. “Now future tests will start adding to the accomplishments and confidence in the airplane’s design.”
Williams is a member of a NATO working group that received the organization’s 2021 Excellence Award for its efforts in this area.
Original Article: Illinois Tech Professor Demonstrates Novel Control Method in Aircraft with No Tail
More from: Illinois Institute of Technology
The Latest Updates from Bing News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Active flow control system
- Ram 1500 RHO Is a New 540-hp Raptor Rival
Stellantis’s Ram truck brand has introduced a turbocharged 6-cylinder-powered off-road performance truck to replace its discontinued V-8-powered TRX pickup. This new contender is dubbed the Ram 1500 ...
- Autoliv’s Strong Financial Performance and Positive Outlook Justify Buy Rating
Goldman Sachs analyst George Galliers has maintained their bullish stance on ALV stock, giving a Buy rating on April 22. George Galliers has ...
- CTT Systems AB - Interim Report First Quarter 2024
The link can also be found at www.ctt.se For Additional Information CTT is the leading supplier of active humidity control systems in aircraft. We solve the aircraft humidity paradox - with far too ...
- Millions of IPs remain infected by USB worm years after its creators left it for dead
A now-abandoned USB worm that backdoors connected devices has continued to self-replicate for years since its creators lost control of it and remains active on thousands, possibly millions, of ...
- ZeroAvia offers electric and hydrogen tech to other aviation innovators
ZeroAvia has announced it will be offering some of its key components designed for its hydrogen-electric engines to other clean aviation innovators.
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Active flow control
- 6 cash flow automation tips to help small businesses thrive
If you use paper checks or handle approvals manually, you could be due for some upgrades to make payments processes run more smoothly. Here are a few tips to consider.
- MACC1 seen as biomarker for PAH in bioinformatics study
MACC1 genes are more active in the lungs of people with PAH than in healthy controls, a study finds, so they could help in disease diagnosis.
- This Bonkers New X-Plane Uses Holes in Its Wings to Hit Mach Speeds
The X-65 experimental jet has fourteen aerodynamic control effectors are embedded into the wings and fuselage to control speed and direction.
- Tranquil conditions Tuesday; weather to become increasingly active later this week
High pressure remains in control today. This will lead to tranquil conditions, mostly clear skies and daytime highs in the 60s for many. Tonight, lows will cool ...
- Oxford Flow joins forces with nZero for zero-carbon home heating fuels
Flow control equipment specialist Oxford Flow has announced a collaboration with nZero Group company Thyson Technology to supply its IM-S gas regulators for SGN’s H100 Fife Future of Gas project in ...