Design and Analysis of Telescopic Morphing Wing for Loitering Munition Drones

Abstract

Loitering munition drones (LMDs), with their ability to perform surveillance, reconnaissance and targeted strikes, have garnered significant attention in modern military operations. One key challenge in their design is achieving versatility in flight performance while maintaining a compact form factor. This paper presents a novel approach to address this challenge through the integration of a telescopic morphing mechanism into the design of LMDs. The proposed telescopic morphing mechanism enables the drone to dynamically adjust its wing span and shape during the flight. We discuss the design principles, kinematics and control strategies of the telescopic morphing mechanism, emphasising its ability to enhance the drone's agility, endurance and stealth capabilities. Furthermore, we present experimental results and simulations demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism in improving the overall performance and mission success rates of loitering munition drones.