However, aerodynamic optimization is also important in the definition of morphing shapes. Most studies have focused on morphing technology implemented by retrofitting current aircrafts with new devices, such as morphing leading- and trailing-edge systems. Morphing is achieved with compliant hinges connected to a linear actuator to realize the desired optimized airfoil shapes, obtained in a preliminary aerodynamic study. Figure 1 shows the leading-edge morphing wing mechanism, consisting of a flexible skin. Additionally, “morphing” is more practically applied for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), due to their reduced scale and lower complexity in terms of wing design structure and energy consumption expressed in terms of actuation power. Morphing wing technology could potentially save energy and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet the standards set by the ICAO. It has the potential to significantly enhance an aircraft’s lift, drag, and noise characteristics by improving the flow behavior over the wing by removing unnecessary discontinuities and gaps in its surface. Morphing is a way to adapt wings to a variety of flight situations to improve their overall performance. Motivated researchers at the Research Laboratory in Active Controls, Avionics, and AeroServoElasticity (LARCASE) have been working on methods to reduce aircraft fuel consumption. Many methods have been used to improve aircraft efficiency, notably wings’ aerodynamic efficiency. These results indicate the importance of leading-edge morphing in enhancing the aerodynamic efficiency of the UAS-S45 airfoil. Numerical studies verified the effectiveness of the optimization strategy, and the optimized airfoils have shown a significant improvement in overall aerodynamic performance by up to 12.18% drag reduction compared to the reference airfoil, and an increase in aerodynamic endurance of up to 10% for the UAS-S45 optimized airfoil configurations over its reference airfoil. These results are validated with a CFD solver utilizing the Transition ( γ − R e θ ) Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model. The optimization framework uses an in-house MATLAB algorithm, while the aerodynamic calculations use the XFoil solver with flow transition estimation criteria. The CST parameterization technique is used to parameterize the reference airfoil by introducing local shape changes and provide skin flexibility to obtain various optimized morphing airfoil configurations. This approach integrates the optimization algorithm with a modified Class-Shape Transformation (CST) parameterization method to enhance aerodynamic performance by minimizing drag and maximizing aerodynamic endurance at the cruise flight condition. An aerodynamic optimization for a Droop-Nose Leading-Edge (DNLE) morphing of a well-known UAV, the UAS-S45, is proposed, using a novel Black Widow Optimization (BWO) algorithm.
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