Electrospinning of a micro-air vehicle wing skin

Electrospinning was utilized to create lightweight, electrically responsive wing skins for micro-air vehicle (MAV) wing frame designs. Various compositions of an electroactive polymer were investigated to determine the appropriate electrospinning conditions for these materials. Electrospun mats of these materials were characterized via optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Tensile properties of the electrospun fibers were also measured. An optimal polymer composition was electrospun onto MAV wing frames to create a bird wing-like texture. Preliminary testing of electroactivity of these prototype MAV wings is reported here.