An aerodynamic structure is disclosed having a lifting surface, a control device and an actuation mechanism. The lifting surface has a root and a tip, and is deformable during operation of the aerodynamic structure. The control device is movably attached to the lifting surface, at or near the tip. The actuation mechanism is for controlling movement of the control device, and is configured to transmit deformation movement of the lifting surface to the control device.

An aerodynamic structure is disclosed having a lifting surface, a control device and an actuation mechanism. The lifting surface has a root and a tip, and is deformable during operation of the aerodynamic structure. The control device is movably attached to the lifting surface, at or near the tip. The actuation mechanism is for controlling movement of the control device, and is configured to transmit deformation movement of the lifting surface to the control device.

The present disclosure directed to an aircraft comprising one or more propulsion devices, a flexible wing, at least two tail booms having a proximal end and a distal end, the tail booms being secured to said flexible wing at the proximal end, wherein the tail booms comprise of a tail section connected at the distal end of said tail boom and wherein the tail section comprises of at least one control surface.

The present disclosure directed to an aircraft comprising one or more propulsion devices, a flexible wing, at least two tail booms having a proximal end and a distal end, the tail booms being secured to said flexible wing at the proximal end, wherein the tail booms comprise of a tail section connected at the distal end of said tail boom and wherein the tail section comprises of at least one control surface.

A wing-twist aircraft having a wing, an actuation system, a sensor, and/or a controller. The wing may have a wingspan that extends to a wing tip. The wing may further include a spar aligned in a span-wise direction, wherein at least one rib is operatively coupled to the spar. The actuation system may be configured to torsionally rotate the spar, which, in turn, torsionally rotates (pivots) the at least one rib coupled to the spar, thereby twisting the wing. The sensor may be configured to measure a characteristic of the wing, while the controller may be configured to command the actuation system to torsionally rotate the spar based at least in part on input from the sensor.

A wing-twist aircraft having a wing, an actuation system, a sensor, and/or a controller. The wing may have a wingspan that extends to a wing tip. The wing may further include a spar aligned in a span-wise direction, wherein at least one rib is operatively coupled to the spar. The actuation system may be configured to torsionally rotate the spar, which, in turn, torsionally rotates (pivots) the at least one rib coupled to the spar, thereby twisting the wing. The sensor may be configured to measure a characteristic of the wing, while the controller may be configured to command the actuation system to torsionally rotate the spar based at least in part on input from the sensor.

There is provided an aerodynamic control apparatus for an air vehicle comprising a flap system including a first spanwise flap segment to be arranged on a first side of an air vehicle, a second spanwise flap segment to be arranged on the first side of the air vehicle, and a controller to actuate the first spanwise flap segment to a first flap deflection and the second spanwise flap segment to a second flap deflection, wherein the first spanwise flap segment at the first flap deflection and the second spanwise flap segment at the second flap deflection form a piecewise continuous trailing edge.

A shape-morphing ultralight structure using materials that dramatically increase the efficiency of load-bearing aerostructures that includes a programmable material system applied as a large-scale, ultralight, and conformable (shape-morphing) aeroelastic structure. The use of a modular, lattice-based, ultralight material results in stiffness and density typical of an elastomer. This, combined with a building block-based manufacturing and configuration strategy, enables the rapid realization of new adaptive structures and mechanisms. The heterogeneous design with programmable anisotropy allows for enhanced elastic and global shape deformation in response to external loading, making it useful for tuned fluid-structure interaction. The present invention demonstrates an example application experiment using two building block types for the primary structure of a 4.27 m wingspan aircraft with spatially programed elastic shape morphing to increase aerodynamic efficiency.

A shape-morphing ultralight structure using materials that dramatically increase the efficiency of load-bearing aerostructures that includes a programmable material system applied as a large-scale, ultralight, and conformable (shape-morphing) aeroelastic structure. The use of a modular, lattice-based, ultralight material results in stiffness and density typical of an elastomer. This, combined with a building block-based manufacturing and configuration strategy, enables the rapid realization of new adaptive structures and mechanisms. The heterogeneous design with programmable anisotropy allows for enhanced elastic and global shape deformation in response to external loading, making it useful for tuned fluid-structure interaction. The present invention demonstrates an example application experiment using two building block types for the primary structure of a 4.27 m wingspan aircraft with spatially programed elastic shape morphing to increase aerodynamic efficiency.

An aircraft airflow modification device, comprising: at least one resiliently deformable base member; and at least one resiliently deformable flap member that extends from the resiliently deformable base member. Deformation of the resiliently deformable base member from a first state to a second state results in corresponding deformation of the resiliently deformable flap member from a first state to a second state.