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Carbon Fiber Composite Membrane-wing Autonomous Micro-air-vehicles
 Here at CIMSS, researchers are working to develop carbon fiber composite, membrane-wing autonomous micro-air-vehicles. However, conventional lifting surface designs are poorly suited to this class of membrane composite vehicle. Articulated lifting surfaces and articulated wing sections are difficult to instrument in a repeatable fashion. Assembly is also complex and time consuming. "Smart Materials" are suitable for these types of actuation. Smart materials have many application areas. These smart actuators will be implemented on morphing wings for MAV’s. One choice of smart material is the LaRC Macro-Fiber Composite (MFC). These flexible and easy to apply patches will be placed on the membrane wing surface to change the shape and create the desired lift and drag. By use of dynamic modeling, these MFC’s will also be used in stabilizing the MAV’s. The resultant designs are advantageous in that they are (1) solid state and (2) capable of highly agile maneuver.
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