UAV Design With Seamless Control Surfaces?

[quicky]

I am building a UAV and noticed one built by INL, and their plane had ailerons, elevators, rudders, and flaps that had a stretchable covering over the hinged section of the control surface. This provided a seamless moving part while allowing it to move as well. Does anyone know where to find more information on this construction technique?

[airmcn_3]

I am building a UAV and noticed one built by INL, and their plane had ailerons, elevators, rudders, and flaps that had a stretchable covering over the hinged section of the control surface. This provided a seamless moving part while allowing it to move as well. Does anyone know where to find more information on this construction technique?


Are you talking a composite aircraft or a built up one with monofilm covering? The two techniques are very different......

[quicky]

It was a composite molded aircraft. Im not sure if the film was added after the molding process, or added during the molding process, but it was a fiberglass molded plane for sure.

[airmcn_3]

It was a composite molded aircraft. Im not sure if the film was added later or added in the molding process, but it was a fiberglass molded plane for sure.


OK,

It’s done in the molding/layup process; the hinge is made of Kevlar and is accurately scored once popped out of the mold. It’s not a very hard process if you have any composite molding experience and there are many videos out there on how to do it. Take a look at YouTube and look for Kevlar hinge....


I just check and did not find it in there, take a look in the composites part of the forum and ask those guys, they will be very helpful if your nice ;)

Meanwhile take a look at this..... http://homepage.ntlworld.com/goddo/T%20W%20XP%20Hinging%20the%20Surfaces.htm#create%2 0a%20hinge

Chris

[quicky]

Thanks. It seems that a lot of construction techniques are skipped over in a lot of sites out there. They focus on hardware/software stuff more, but thanks.

[airmcn_3]

Thanks. It seems that a lot of construction techniques are skipped over in a lot of sites out there. They focus on hardware/software stuff more, but thanks.


Did you find what you need? If not I will do some digging, I would bet I have it on video somewhere on my computer.

[quicky]

The link did help a lot. Maybe some pictures or video would be good too.

[airmcn_3]

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246671&page=29

http://members.cox.net/dwfee/VacBagWing.htm

This will help.

[Tuner]

OK if you ever have seen a Jaro Muller glider he has a unique hinge design
The top of the hinge is just like a standard tape hinge only it uses the kevlar composite material that is just not impregnated with epoxy.

For the bottom where the gap is he has a strip of plastice that is curved and when the surface points down it recesses into the the wing and when the surface points up the plastic covers the gap.
I included a link below but it is incorrect showing the plastic piece I am talking about it is essentially reversed where the tape would be on top and the... 6 one way half dozen the other.
http://www.rc-soar.com/tech/ellipse.htm

[CAFplanekid]

I did some wind tunnel testing of an aileron design I came up with, which uses a parabolic curve control surface deflection geometry as opposed to a single hinge. Basically it equates to sort of localized wing warping. For a given amount of deflection, I got some pretty interesting results. A huge increase in roll effectiveness for a small increase in drag, with an increase in lift. So a smaller amount of control deflection is required for a given amount of roll effectiveness, which will provide for a reduction in drag. Mpt exactly what you are thinking of, but something interesting to look in to.

[EddieWeeks]

2 oz fiberglass can be used as a hinge no problem. You don't need kevlar or anything
hard to work with. The DC-10 on the left used these for years..

Eddie