Design of an Electric Actuated Airbrake for Dynamic Airspeed Control of an Unmanned Aeroelastic Research UAV

Abstract

The FLEXOP Project aims to develop new methods and tools to assist the design of aircraft with highly flexible wing structures. Aeroelastic flight testing with an unmanned flying demonstrator shall help to validate and verify these approaches. Visual line of sight operation due to German airspace regulations introduce additional challenges to the aircraft design: Since maneuvers have to be performed slightly below flutter speed a precise and fast airspeed controllability has to be ensured. Since the thrust response of the integrated jet engine is proven to be impractical for fast airspeed control, the electric actuated airbrake has to be designed for providing the required control force. In the present paper, the design of the airbrake system is shown in detail, starting from configurational studies to aerodynamic design and analysis up to structural sizing. Further, the approach to actuator selection, testing and integration is shown. Finally, a rapid prototyping, low-cost approach to system parameter verification for the flight controller design is presented.