Rapid prototyping by additive manufacturing of a bioinspired micro-RPA morphing model for a wind tunnel test campaign

Abstract

The advance of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems is one of the greatest challenges of the present and future aerodynamics field. The applications are increasingly numerous, ranging from simply commercial activities to strategic sectors of defense, which generate a continuous interest motivating the research and development of new prototypes. The optimization is achieved by wind tunnel testing designs leading to manufacture real demonstrators of these innovative technologies. One of the major problems encountered by the experimental aerodynamics during wind tunnel test campaigns is concerning to the manufacture of test models. These models are usually fabricated in metallic or wood materials, and their manufacture is very expensive and involves long periods of time, which causes delays in project planning and extends the tunnel occupation. Experimental aerodynamics requires a fast response in manufacturing wind tunnel models and the application of 3D printing is a tool that offers solutions as a rapid prototyping system. The test campaign presented in this paper was carried out in a Low Speed Wind Tunnel at National Institute for Aerospace Technology (Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, INTA) facilities in order to demonstrate the capability of prototypes fabricated by 3D printing additive manufacturing for the verification of new designs based on bioinspired RPAS trends when they are tested by classical experimental techniques.