Optimizing the air race world champion

Launched in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race is globally renowned, taking the existing model of Formula One racing and combining it with extreme aerial challenges. The sport features some of the world’s best pilots flying some of the most aerodynamic racing machines at low altitude at speeds of more than 400km/h.

To win the coveted championships, race teams are analyzing performance in more engineering detail than ever before. When the main propulsion of every plane is standardized, the only areas left to adjust are the aerodynamics, which specifically relate to how airflow affects the plane and the surplus drag coefficient that is applied to parts that are not enhanced aerodynamically. The same engineering strategy can be directly applied to the angle of attack on the race track: adjusting the entry speeds and pulls between pylons during a race can result in times that are in some cases milliseconds apart. All of these factors, along with the natural ability of each pilot, make for an extremely challenging race environment.
 

Enhanced with 3D scanning

The Breitling Race Team, featuring British pilot Nigel Lamb, was particularly focused on increasing aircraft performance levels. Lamb has been working on his MXS aircraft since 2010 and has invested in a multitude of technologies to assist the design and air flow developments across the surface of the plane, trying to gain split seconds when approaching every gate.

As with most manufacturers, the complete CAD assemblies of aircraft structures are strictly confidential, making it very difficult to make any modifications to a plane when baseline measurements are not available. For example, the surface profiles and shape are generally designed to deal with optimal air flow across the body; the direct replication of the machine can be difficult to comprehend when the critical information isn’t available. In the aerospace industry, these complex shapes cannot be measured with traditional methods and would conventionally take several weeks to capture in a standard working environment. It would take a considerable amount of time to digitally create the model in a CAD package. This all assumes that measurements were correct in the first place.

With this in mind – and a vision of making some radical changes to the current race plane – the Breitling Race Team approached Measurement Solutions for the 2014 race season for assistance in digitizing the aircraft as accurately as possible.
 

Accurate mapping

Measurement Solutions was tasked to provide the Breitling Race Team with a full and accurate 3D scan of the complete aerodynamic shape of the aircraft, such that the shape of the aircraft could be truly represented in flow analysis testing. The data needed to be of sub-millimeter accuracy, yet it had to be acquired with minimal interference in the run-up to the season start.

Both traditional scanning systems, such as portable arms and laser tracking, were quickly discarded as unviable options because they could not provide highly accurate or reliable data quickly across a large volume.

Creaform’s handheld laser scanner, MetraSCAN 3D, was used to scan the entire aircraft, providing an easy and fast means to acquire extremely accurate measurements spanning large areas. With Creaform’s patented TRUaccuracy technology built into the system, accuracy is ensured in all measurement conditions, unlike conventional measuring equipment that requires stable environments and experienced users. This technology proved invaluable while scanning the aircraft in a cold hangar late into the evening.

The MetraSCAN 3D is tracked by a dual-camera system, which continuously located the position of the scanner relative to the aircraft at all times. A dynamic referencing system also meant that measurements could be taken regardless of vibrations in the environment in which they are taken – even an aircraft hangar. The system could quickly and easily extend the measuring volume or re-position the tracking device without the need for complicated and time-consuming adjustments.

To further enhance the project’s accuracy, the system was used in conjunction with Creaform’s MaxSHOT 3D optical coordinate measuring system. The MaxSHOT 3D photogrammetry device generated an accurate reference map across the entire surface of the plane. This ultimately minimized the time normally required to manually register the scan data sets together. This enabled areas to be re-scanned as required, or for parts to be removed so that hidden surfaces could also be scanned in great detail.

Within 24 hours, the Measurement Solutions team scanned the entire aircraft within 1mm accuracy. Before leaving the site, this acquisition was completed and post-processed into an industry standard STL mesh, ready for direct import into airflow analysis and CAD software.

The Breitling Race Team and Nigel Lamb went on to win the World Championship of Red Bull Air Race this past October. Congrats to the team!

Creaform
www.creaform3d.com