Design and Analysis of an Adaptive Wingtip

Wingtip devices are a common component of most modern aircraft, improving the overall aerodynamic behaviour of the wing and thus improving performance and reducing operating costs and pollutant emissions. Unfortunately, given the wide range of different flight conditions encountered by an aircraft throughout the flight (and between flights with different characteristics), no single wingtip design can perform optimally at all times. The design of wingtip devices is therefore a problem of determining the best compromise between the various (often conflicting) requirements of the various flight conditions. If, however, the wingtip device can adapt (by changing shape and/or orientation) to each condition encountered throughout the flight, optimum performance can be achieved at all times. This concept is analysed and a variable orientation wingtip device is presented, consisting of a winglet able to rotate relative to the wing about two different axes (cant and toe). A multidisciplinary computational model of the proposed concept is described and the results show the potential to outperform conventional, fixed wingtip devices. The practical aspects of the construction and implementation of this novel design are also discussed.