NASA's WindShaper Facility Enables Advanced UAV Testing

The NASA Unmanned Autonomy Research Complex (NUARC) offers the WindShaper, a large dynamic fan array designed for dynamic low-speed and hovering flight research. This facility is particularly useful for generating arbitrary wind gradients and gusts, enabling researchers to simulate realistic wind conditions for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The WindShaper consists of a 9’x7’ array of 1134 fans, arranged as 567 ‘wind pixels,’ each programmable via Python scripting. This programmability allows for the replication of steady winds, gusts, and wind gradients, providing a versatile testing environment. The system can generate wind speeds from 0 to 16 m/s (0 to 36 mph), with an acceleration of 4 m/s² and a deceleration of 2.5 m/s². A companion WindProbe, utilizing the lab’s OptiTrack motion capture system, is also available for quick surveys of flows, extracting the position and orientation of the 5-hole cone probe located on the probe tip. The availability of such a sophisticated testing facility is crucial for advancing the development of autonomous UAVs, particularly in scenarios requiring robust performance in challenging wind conditions. The ability to precisely control and replicate wind environments allows for thorough testing and validation of UAV designs and control algorithms, ultimately leading to more reliable and capable unmanned aircraft.

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