The Next DARPA X-Plane Won’t Maneuver like Any Plane Before It
The challenge is to build an airplane without moving control surfaces
By Eric Tegler on January 9, 2020
The international aerospace company Airbus recently unveiled a model of a new drone called the Low Observable UAV Testbed (LOUT), which reportedly combines several undisclosed stealth technologies. Hints in the aircraft’s description led some aviation experts to speculate that one of LOUT’s radar-evading powers could come from a lack of conventional moving control surfaces.
For the past century, airplane control mechanisms have relied on hinged surfaces such as ailerons and rudders. Shifting their positions alters the shape of the wings or tail, changing the surrounding airflow—and thus air pressure. This adjustment pushes the aircraft to maneuver in predictable ways. But traditional control surfaces require external seams that radar can detect with relative ease. A seamless airplane would have greater stealth capabilities and performance. It could also have lower weight, size, complexity and cost, compared with planes that use traditional steering methods.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-next-darpa-x-plane-wont-maneuver-like-any-plane-before-it/
