Prototype proves merits of flapless flow control

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 5, 2005

BAE Systems has flown the world's first air vehicle with a new flapless flow control as part of a research programme it is undertaking to look at technologies for future unmanned air vehicles.

BAE Systems, in partnership with Manchester University, has flown the world's first air vehicle with a new flapless flow control as part of a research programme it is undertaking to look at technologies for future unmanned air vehicles (UAVs).

The project is a five year programme funded jointly by BAE Systems and the EPSRC and run from Cranfield University with nine other university partners.

The project covers all key aspects and technologies of the next generation UAV, namely aerodynamics, control systems, electromagnetics, manufacturing, materials/structures, numerical simulation and integration.

Being able to fly and control aircraft without conventional control surfaces will bring benefits to both military and civil aircraft.

In military jets the stealth characteristics will be enhanced by a reduction in edges and gaps that can increase radar cross section.

Additionally, the number of moving and electrical parts in both military and civil aircraft will be reduced which has clear implications for cost, reliability, weight, efficiency and maintenance.

This first vehicle, flown near Manchester, is the result of work focused on aerodynamics technologies.

This has produced novel means of flow control for improved manoeuvrability, stealth, robustness and simplicity.

Control is achieved by blowing air from the trailing edge of the wing which entrains the upper surface flow and so increases lift.

As the other technologies are researched further flapless vehicles will be developed that incorporate the research findings.

The ultimate aim of the programme is to then deliver a flying demonstrator vehicle which makes use of all the technologies being researched for a maintenance free, low cost UAV without conventional control surfaces and without performance penalty over conventional craft.

This is scheduled for completion in early 2009.

Project manager Philip Woods from BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre explains: "Future UAVs will be necessarily cheaper, more modular and will rely on designs that consider many cross-discipline interactions and tradeoffs".

"The FLAVIIR programme ensures that BAE Systems understands both the emerging technologies and how they can fit together to deliver suitable systems in the future".

The flapless air vehicle project is being managed from Cranfield University and includes nine other university partners: the University of Leicester, the University of Liverpool, the University of Manchester, the University of Nottingham, the University of Southampton, the University of Wales (Swansea), Warwick University, Warwick Manufacturing Group, the University of York and Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine.

The project forms part of BAE Systems' strategy to concentrate its funding on a few selected universities to increase company involvement in these university programmes, to facilitate a greater degree of co-operation between university partners and to include systems integration in the research agenda.