Methods and systems for active wing and lift surface control using integrated aeroelasticity measurements

• Main Authors: HINNANT HARRIS O, CASTELLUCCIO MARK A, BREKKE DARIN W, BLACK DAVID J, DICKERSON MATT R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.09.2014
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; CONTROLLING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; MEASURING; MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; NAVIGATION; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SURVEYING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TESTING; TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES ORSTRUCTURES; TESTING STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

An active wing and lift surface control system for an aircraft is described. The wing and lift surface control system includes an aeroelasticity measurement system configured to provide at least one of real time wing twist measurements and real time measurements of aircraft body bending, at least one actuator mechanically coupled to a control surface of the aircraft, and a control system communicatively coupled to the aeroelasticity measurement system and to the at least one actuator. The control system is operable to receive the measurements from the aeroelasticity measurement system and generate control signals, based on the real time measurements, to operate the at least one actuator to adjust a drag associated with one or more of the wing and the aircraft body.