Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Koenig, Keith

Committee Member

Sescu, Adrian

Committee Member

Outlaw, Diana

Date of Degree

8-10-2018

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Aerospace Engineering

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

James Worth Bagley College of Engineering

Department

Department of Aerospace Engineering

Abstract

When considering smaller scale UAV’s there is not a lot available that could survey large areas quickly, stealthy, and with a considerable range. Owls have an interesting trait that is not found in most avian species; leading-edge serrations. These serrations give owls the ability to fly silently and steadily without sacrificing maneuverability. The focus of the research was to design leading-edge serrations that would improve the flight performance of a Styrofoam glider. Previous studies defined serrations by the inclination angle, tip-displacement angle, and the length of the serration in the x-y plane. Using these parameters, a serration mold was computer modeled and 3D printed from a resin material. Silicone was used to cast the mold, allowing flexible serrations to be created. The serrations were fitted onto the leading-edge of a Styrofoam glider which was used for flight testing. Flight test between serrated and non-serrated leading-edge gliders are presented and compared.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/20065

Comments

Gliding||Owl||Silent||Serrations

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