Flight Dynamics and Control Authority of Flap-Controlled Open Boxes

Abstract

The effectiveness of open-box micro air vehicles to deliver light, small payloads of high importance to specific ground coordinates is investigated through dynamic simulation. The open box exhibits interesting and varied flight dynamic behavior as key design parameters are changed. For example, the open box can achieve a coning behavior, a corkscrewing behavior, or glide much like a conventional aircraft to the ground by merely shifting the mass center location. The four rear flaps of the air vehicle can be used to control the box and affords the aircraft greater control authority than dispersion caused by typical atmospheric winds. This control mechanism can also be used as a braking system, which can greatly arrest the descent rate before ground impact. These dynamic qualities make the open box a promising airdrop vehicle which can cut through atmospheric winds towards the target before decelerating and gently landing.