Search

Uncrewed fixed-wing aircraft swarming research and development requires an efficient method to launch a large number of aircraft in a short timeframe. The Capability, Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) and Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) undertook a rapid development and testing program to demonstrate a novel in-air fixed-wing aircraft deployment method. Iterative testing revealed a number of lateral stability problems. After each flight test event, the cause of the issue was identified and a solution was proposed for further testing. This paper presents an analysis of three flight test events, ending in an aircraft spin, a slow highsideslip departure and a fast spiral dive, respectively. The aircraft under test was a 2.1-metre wingspan remotely piloted flying wing, which was launched in-air from a heavy-lift multirotor aircraft. Non-standard spin recovery techniques required by flying wing aircraft are discussed, and non-linear aerodynamic data are used to explain the inescapable sideslip departure and propose methods of recovery. The ultimate aim of the work is an automated spin recovery capability that can regain controlled level flight without pilot input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]