Purpose:

            The goal of this project is to enhance the flight characteristics of micro aerial vehicles (MAV) using adaptive structures on a fixed wing platform.
    Micro aerial vehicles are a class of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) that have size restrictions or may be autonomous. An adaptive structure or active
    structure is a mechanical structure with the ability to alter its configuration, form or properties in response to changes in its environment. For the purposes
    of this project we are limiting the size of the wing platform to 20cm by 12cm, and focusing on dielectric elastomer for the adaptive structure. The
    dielectric elastomer consists of a thin membrane of VHB taped strained to 300% with a thin layer of carbon grease used as the electrode. When a
    large voltage is applied, the dielectric elastomer will displace causing a change in the flight characteristics of the wing.

            In order to quantify the change in flight characteristics when the dielectric elastomer is actuated, we will be conducting test at the REEF facility run
    by the University of Florida as well as the facilities located at the FSU-FAMU College of Engineering.