Morphing, or Shape-Changing Aircraft Video...

[AA 1818]

Something that I think that you aught to see. If you have already, or if this already has been posted, please excuse me:


Amazing, no? I have to ask though - how would this be possible? Do we have the materials and the skill to undertake such a challenge soon? Also, what technologies would we need to have such designs/aspects viable economically? Could we see these changes being employed to the commercial field within the next 10 years? Would we need more time?

[Juulke]

Well in this times(financial crisis) I think it's to expensive to design such a plane and the materials. Maybe in the future but not now.

[Dmmoore]

Today we can droop the leading and trailing edges. What NASA's video shows is an elastic wing. Using materials with "Memory" such transforming structures may be possible in 40 or 50 years.

[Spad13]

While it certainly looks cool, I wonder what practical benefits such a design would have. How will the material retain elasticity over years and hundreds of hours of flight? How will asymmetric "warpage" be prevented? I also imagine there would be size limitations on such a design.