Aircraft Design

The Disruptive Technology Laboratory is a design space for creating small lightweight aircraft that fly, dive, hover, flap and bounce. Prototypes vehicles range in platform design: fixed wing gliders, flapping wing vehicles, dual rotor helicopters, and autonomous quad rotors. The team is currently working under contract to develop several innovative aircraft for the US Air Force and Army.

A key innovation is “bouncing MAVs,” which allows aircraft to bounce off objects, such as walls, while remaining airborne. Engineers developed the concept after watching a housefly repeatedly hit a glass window. Teamed with several prestigious Universities the group is studying insects for clues about how to design collision resistant vehicles.

The DTG team iterates through experimental designs using a combination of consumer products, aircraft kits and custom designs. Engineers leverage composite material expertise and rapid prototyping models to design, build and fly unique solutions to complex aerodynamic challenges.

To aid in this face-paced design, a Robust MAV Testing Platform was designed, which allows for new components and electronics to be tested quickly. Engineers are able to interchange components, such as a new wing design or control system algorithm, and compare results with previous flight tests. The Robust MAV Testing Platform is the backbone of aircraft testing in the Disruptive Technology Laboratory.

DTG scientists also study conventional aircraft dynamics. “The Dynamic Roughness Study” is a controllable turbulence creation system sponsored by the US Air Force. This system improves aircraft performance and efficiency during different flight conditions, such as stall. This system is able to adjust turbulence levels depending on the desired flight condition. Currently, this low power, lightweight system is being tested in wind tunnels on fixed wing aircraft.