Additive Manufacturing of Morphing Wing Prototypes For UAV and Aircraft Applications

Abstract

This thesis investigates the design, simulation, and additive manufacturing of a camber-morphing wing prototype for UAV and fixed-wing aircraft applications. The study uses the NACA 4424 airfoil and evaluates four trailing-edge camber configurations, from −5° to +10°, using steady-state CFD simulations in ANSYS Fluent. The results show that positive camber increases lift and improves aerodynamic efficiency, while negative camber provides controlled downforce with a relatively small drag penalty, demonstrating bidirectional control capability. Pressure-contour analysis indicates attached airflow without flow separation for all investigated configurations. A physical prototype was fabricated from PLA using FDM 3D printing as a single monolithic compliant structure, demonstrating the feasibility of integrating the morphing mechanism with additive manufacturing. Overall, the research concludes that camber morphing combined with additive manufacturing is a promising approach for improving adaptive flight control and aerodynamic performance in UAVs, while future work should include wind-tunnel testing, structural/FSI analysis, and development of an active actuation and control system.