Wind Tunnel Experimental Investigation On The Vertical Gust Response Characteristics Of MAV

Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) is a new type of aircrafts, which has traits of mini volume, light-weight,higher flexibility, low cost, etc. With such as image transmission devices, Weapon system, signalinterference or transfer equipment, MAV could be extensively applicable to military and civil fields.Concerned with several obstacles of restricting the MAV development, the gust is the most important factorthat affects the Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) flight safely and steadily. First, the data acquisition system basedon virtual instrument for the gust experiment is developed. The system which suits for the experimentrequirements consists of USB multifunction data acquisition card and software written by LabVIEW. On thebasis of its good portability and real-time display, this system is suitable for field work. Then a series of rigidwing MAVs and flexible wing MAVs of a flying wing configuration are designed and experimented inunsteady wind tunnel of NUAA. Finally, the soft rear edge of birds wings is referenced, the style of MAV forvertical gust experiment is fabricated. Then the vertical gust experiment for MAV is carried.The resultsshow that, the flexible wing can increase the stall angle of attack in steady flow field. At the same time, ithas better longitudinal stability. In the horizontal gust flow field, the flexible deformation of flexible winghas played an important role to improve flight quality. In the vertical gust flow field, the drag of MAV withflexible wing is less fierce; Lift not only relatively stable but also value of number is larger, shows that theflexible wing can increase the stall angle of attack. The pitching moment of MAV with flexible wing hassmaller values and more steady.So the flexible wing has the ability of alleviating the effects of vertical gustwhich benefit to safe and steady flight.