Flexible calorimetric flow sensor with unprecedented sensitivity and directional resolution for multiple flight...

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Sensor Technology
• Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) Systems

Background:

• Accurate perception of flight parameters (angle of attack, sideslip, velocity) is critical for MAV flight control.
• Conventional MAVs utilize sensor arrays, which can be complex and bulky.
• Need for compact, high-resolution sensors for MAVs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a single, flexible calorimetric flow sensor for estimating multiple flight parameters.
• To demonstrate the sensor's capability in measuring angle of attack, angle of sideslip, and airflow velocity.
• To explore applications in weak airflow sensing and MAV flight control.

Main Methods:

• Development of a flexible calorimetric flow sensor with a suspended array of vanadium oxide thermistors.
• Integration of the sensor onto a wing model for flight parameter estimation.
• Utilizing high sensitivity and fast response for simultaneous measurement of various parameters.

Main Results:

• Achieved unprecedented velocity resolution of 0.11 mm·s⁻¹ and angular resolution of 0.1°.
• Successfully estimated angles of attack and sideslip simultaneously when attached to a wing model.
• Demonstrated capability to estimate triaxial flight velocities and wing vibrations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed single calorimetric flow sensor enables accurate estimation of multiple flight parameters for MAVs.
• The sensor's high sensitivity and resolution are suitable for weak airflow sensing.
• This technology holds significant promise for advancing MAV flight control systems.