Mission-Based Multidisciplinary Aircraft Design Optimization Methodology Tailored for Adaptive Technologies

Abstract

Aircraft design is an inherently multidisciplinary undertaking, which motivates the quest for increasingly optimized solutions using distributed design optimization architectures. In this study, a mission-based aircraft preliminary design optimization methodology tailored for the assessment of adaptive technologies is presented. Its most distinguishing feature relies on each subspace representing a different mission stage instead of the traditional aircraft design disciplines. It is tailored for the assessment of adaptive solutions where the optimum design is mission stage dependent. Low-fidelity models have been used for the aircraft design disciplines. The enhanced collaborative optimization architecture has been used, with the concepts of weighting coefficient and dynamic compatibility parameter being presented and duly assessed. Benchmarking case studies results are discussed, using wingspan, wing mean chord, propeller diameter, propeller pitch, flap relative chord, and flap deflection as design variables. A quantitative analysis of the profitability of variable span wing, variable camber flap, and variable pitch propeller is also featured.