German Aerospace Center
PROTEUS tested MorphAIR technology, which
New technology promises to reduce turbulence during flight and improve aerodynamic efficiency. For now, it has been tested on an unmanned aircraft.
The German aeronautical industry took an important step towards more stable flights with an innovative plane equipped with wings capable of change shapewhich was recently tested in Germany by the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
By increasing the aerodynamic efficiencythis technology promises to significantly reduce the risk of , which often causes discomfort to passengers on commercial flights.
The project, known as , was tested with the unmanned experimental plane Proteusthrough which engineers evaluated a system capable of modify wing geometry in real time. The key is adapting the aerodynamic profile to changing air conditions during flight.
As explained Martin Radestockfrom the DLR Light Systems Institute, “the adaptive wing can change shape in mid-flightwhich allows it to optimally adjust to different flight conditions.”
This approach seeks not only to guarantee greater stability, but also more precise control of the aircraft, highlights .
The design incorporates fiber reinforced composite materials and an innovative system called HyTEM (Hyperelastic Trailing Edge Morphing), que permite deform the trailing edge of the wing continuouslywithout interruptions or visible mechanical joints.
This continued behavior transforms the entire alar surface on an active element, able to respond immediately to turbulencevariations in airflow or changes in flight conditions, improving both efficiency and safety.
The system is based on a artificial intelligence-assisted flight controlwhich detects deviations from the expected behavior of the aircraft and automatically adjusts the model, allowing maintain stability even in the face of partial structural failures.
During the tests, the researchers also developed a method to reconstruct pressure distribution on the wing surface using a reduced number of sensors. This information is processed almost instantly, to adapt the wing shape to any disturbance.
