Active Control of a Morphing Wing Aircraft and Failure Analysis for System Reliability

Author

Madison J. Montgomery

Date of Award

3-22-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Department

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

First Advisor

Robert C. Leishman, PhD

Abstract

A morphing wing aircraft has the ability to increase the efficiency of an aircraft by better optimizing lift and drag characteristics during a flight. A morphing wing UAV was designed and constructed by AFRL/RQVS and required a means of control and method of characterizing the performance of the aircraft through flight testing. This research presents the design and construction of a control system capable of adjusting the morphing wing shape based on pilot commands and current flight status. The control system was tested and improved following a flight test crash utilizing failure mode analysis.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-ENG-MS-19-M-045

DTIC Accession Number

AD1076586

Recommended Citation

Montgomery, Madison J., "Active Control of a Morphing Wing Aircraft and Failure Analysis for System Reliability" (2019). Theses and Dissertations. 2273.
https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/2273