Abstract
Today new technologies are available, which can be decisive for the success of future aircraft design. However, the gap between conventional designs and new visions often comes with a high financial risk. This complicates the integration of innovations significantly. The “Flightpath 2050 Europe’s Vision for Aviation” asks for new aircraft concepts and configurations to meet future requirements such as emission (CO2, NOx), noise and fuel consumption reduction. Scaled UAS are one way for getting new configurations and technologies into flight test while reducing the risk of exploding costs. UAS are cost-efficient test platform systems for two main tasks of future aircraft tests: Testing new configurations and advancing new aircraft systems and technologies from upstream research to TRL5-6. UAS can represent a connection between innovative research and flight demonstration. This paper focuses on the UAS as an innovative test platform and a tool for feasibility demonstration as well as its impact on new technologies and the implementation of innovative concepts. An example of a UAS test platform is given in the paper based on a 33,3% scale model of the e-Genius. It is developed as flying wind tunnel in order to better understand the effects of configuration changes on flight performance.
Highlights
Since many years Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) play an important role in aviation research
Beside classic requirements for aircraft design new requirements and technologies have to be considered in future aircraft design to meet future political and economic requirements
The efficient and profitable use of these propulsion systems means an adaptation of the aircraft configuration. This technology is already partially available in innovative research concepts, which must be brought to a demonstration in flight
Summary
Since many years Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) play an important role in aviation research. UAS were used especially for development and testing of new aircraft configurations in different research projects. The configuration of a blended wing body for commercial aviation was successfully tested with a scaled unmanned freeflying platform. The collected flight data gave first insights into flight behaviour [1, 2] as well as the impact on passenger comfort of such an unknown configuration in flight. Beside CFD analysis and wind tunnel tests, UAS free flight models can be a cost-efficient alternative for the investigation of new aircraft configurations, like shown in different research projects.
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