Folding Wing Structure for Low-Drag VTOL Air Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air mobility devices face increased power requirements due to air resistance generated by fixed wings during vertical takeoff and landing, which affects fuel and electrical energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A folding wing mechanism is implemented, where a folded portion of the wing is actuated to overlap with the main wing during vertical takeoff and landing, reducing air resistance, and then unfolds during cruising to enhance efficiency, using a combination of actuators, magnetic modules, and limiting mechanisms to control the wing's configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed wing is used during vertical takeoff and landing, then the air mobility can maintain stable flight, but air resistance increases leading to higher power requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The wing configuration is made dynamic by introducing a folded portion that can change its state between extended and retracted positions. During vertical takeoff and landing, the folded portion is retracted to minimize air resistance and power consumption. During cruising flight, the folded portion is extended to provide stable flight characteristics. This dynamic adjustment allows the air mobility to adapt its wing configuration to different flight phases, resolving the contradiction between flight stability and power requirement.
2Force
If a fixed wing is used during vertical takeoff and landing, then the air mobility can provide lift, but fuel efficiency or electrical energy efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The wing configuration is dynamically adjusted based on flight phase. The folded portion can be retracted during vertical takeoff and landing to minimize drag and energy consumption, while still allowing the main wing to provide necessary lift. During cruising flight, the folded portion is extended to maximize lift and improve energy efficiency. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between providing sufficient lift and maintaining energy efficiency.
3Power
If the folded portion is made movable to reduce air resistance, then power requirements decrease, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wing is segmented into a main wing portion and a separate folded portion that can be independently controlled. The folded portion is divided into multiple sections that can be adjusted separately, allowing for fine-tuned control of air resistance. This segmentation enables the system to reduce power requirements by retracting the folded portion during vertical flight, while the modular design helps manage the added complexity through standardized components and control mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces air resistance and power requirements during vertical takeoff and landing while improving fuel and electrical energy efficiency during cruising, and minimizes the risk of damage from collisions by firmly fixing the folded portion during operation.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic module configured to fix the folded portion and the wing portion to each other, so as to minimize a risk of damage due to a collision between the folded portion and the wing portion during the folding or the unfolding of the folded portion
Data Source
AI summary
An air mobility may include a wing portion extending from a fuselage of the air mobility; a folded portion provided at an edge portion of the wing portion, configured to extend from the wing portion to form a part of the wing portion during unfolding of the folded portion, and configured to move to overlap with the wing portion during folding of the folded portion, so that an area of air resistance in a vertical direction of the wing portion is reduced; an actuator connected to the folded portion and configured to provide power to the folded portion, so that the folded portion is unfolded or folded to the wing portion; and a controller connected to the actuator and configured to control the actuator, so that the folded portion is folded during vertical takeoff or landing of the fuselage, and configured to control the actuator to unfold the folded portion during cruising of the fuselage.