Application of Optimization Techniques in the Conceptual Design of Morphing Aircraft

A morphing aircraft is an aircraft that changes shape in flight to achieve higher efficiency while performing several tasks of different nature. This study investigates the reduction in Take-Off Gross Weight (Wto) of a jet fighter aircraft by morphing the wing Aspect Ratio (AR) and wing Area (S) during various mission segments. The methodology is framed as an optimization problem for the minimization of design Wto. The user-specified operational requirements in the mission profile are considered as constraints. It is seen that morphing S alone or AR alone leads to a 1.4% and 4.7% reduction in Wto, respectively. However, 8% reduction in Wto was obtained when S and AR both allowed to morph simultaneously. The reduction in Wto are found to be quite sensitive to the weight penalty due to morphing, indicating that a 10% change in the morphing penalty can lead to around 1.5% change in Wto.