Originally posted by Mike James
I love all these experiments. Maybe something unexpected will come from it, good or bad. Keep going with your idea, and let us know the results.
You and me both. This stuff keeps me up late at night (usually until sometime early the next morning - see the time on this post
) and daydreaming during the day.
Originally posted by Mike James
What I'm dying to see is a model-size and applicable version of what NASA is working on with their Mission-Adaptive Wing technology.
I have also been thinking about that from time-to-time. The crux of the matter is computer control. Even the modern computer radios we fly with pale in comparison to what would be required to "warp" a wing in a adaptive way. However, the mechanics might not be as big a problem since there are synthetic "muscles" that would do the job nicely. If I remember correctly, the synthetic "muscle" is a plastic polymer that contracts or expands in reaction to an electric current. Your only problems would be to provide sufficent power to the "muscles" and construction of the right type of flexible wing.
-Q.