We might witness an aircraft in the near future that will do multi tasks and excel in all conditions, thanks to the ‘morphing’ technology that guarantees the adroit aircraft that would be able to reshape itself in the air like the birds. A team of researchers funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and others are working on wings and helicopter rotors that crease, shrivel, extend, tilt, and twirl during flight.
Though morphing wings are from the time of Wright brothers but DARPA wants to take the concept to the new heights with a hope to modify wingspan and wing area by at least 50%. Rick Lind, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Florida says that ‘Morphing lets one type of airplane do all types of missions.‘ His tam has already created small remote aircrafts that have the ability to morph in a half-dozen diverse ways.
While Lockheed Martin make is with long wings with bounty of lift and maneuverability, its competitor NextGen Aeronautics has developed latticework wings with resilient skin that sweep back in a bat-like fashion. NextGen is currently working on an unmanned model that can morph in flight as well as alter shape to make jagged turns and sheer climbs.
Like a bid changes its course by changing its shape, new morphing technology do promises multi-tasking adroit aircrafts in the coming time.
Via: Airspacemag
