IIT Madras Develops Bird-Inspired ‘Morphing Skin’ to Prevent Aircraft Stalls

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have developed a novel “morphing skin” inspired by bird flight that dynamically changes the shape of an aircraft wing to help prevent aerodynamic stalls.

The research was led by Dr Rinku Mukherjee of IIT Madras, who worked on the numerical code with Antony Samuel B, an IIT Madras alumnus, and on wind tunnel experiments and implementation with Dr Aritras Roy, also an IIT Madras alumnus.

An aerodynamic stall occurs when airflow separates from a wing, resulting in a sudden loss of lift and an increase in drag. The researchers developed an additional flexible external wing assembly that changes its shape as airflow begins to separate.

The adaptive skin aligns with the airflow and helps maintain attached flow, allowing the wing to continue generating lift at higher tilt angles.

The study combined predictive computational models, wind tunnel experiments and smart materials. The concept was tested on a three-dimensional wing using a standard NACA 4415 airfoil configuration.

The system also incorporates Macro Fibre Composite (MFC) strips, which can sense and actuate changes in the shape of the wing skin in real time, according to the researchers.

The researchers said the morphing skin helped prevent flow separation while increasing lift and limiting drag during testing.

The technology could have applications in commercial aviation, particularly during take-off and landing, by allowing aircraft to operate across a wider range of flight conditions. The researchers said the increase in lift and reduction in drag could also contribute to fuel savings and lower emissions.

The concept could also be used in unmanned aerial vehicles and drones, where adaptive wings may improve endurance, manoeuvrability and payload efficiency.

The researchers said the system could also find applications in defence and high-performance aviation, where maintaining stable airflow over wings is important during demanding flight conditions.

The research findings were published in the peer-reviewed European Journal of Mechanics - B/Fluids journal. The research team said the concept has been experimentally validated and patented and is ready for implementation in real aircraft flight conditions.