BAE Systems completed initial flight
trials late last year with an innovative unmanned air vehicle which is intended
to prove its ability to operate future platforms using their propulsion
systems, rather than moving control surfaces.
Dubbed Magma, the sub-scale demonstrator has so far
been flown with traditional controls installed on the wing. However, BAE says
further flights over the coming months with the jet-powered type will
"demonstrate the novel flight control technologies, with the ultimate aim
of flying the aircraft without any moving control surfaces or fins".
To achieve this, BAE's concept will use what it
describes as a "unique blown-air system" to manoeuvre the aircraft.
One part of this approach is to draw air from the engine, before blowing it
supersonically through narrow slats in the trailing edge of the wing to provide
control, while the other is to employ "fluidic thrust vectoring". The
UK airframer says the latter method will employ blown air "to deflect the
exhaust, allowing for the direction of the aircraft to be changed".
BAE believes the technologies being trialled with
Magma should reduce weight and maintenance costs, and enable the design of
"lighter, stealthier, faster and more efficient military and civil
aircraft in the future".
The activity is being performed in conjunction with
the University of Manchester, with BAE also collaborating with the NATO Science
and Technology Organisation and the University of Arizona.
BAE's experimentation with advanced UAVs dates back
to the start of this century, with previous demonstrators having included the
Corax, Herti, Mantis and Raven designs, plus the Taranis unmanned combat air
vehicle.
(Evangle Luo of TTFLY shared with you)
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