Active winglet

Abstract

An active winglet includes a body portion substantially parallel to a wing of an aircraft, as if it were an extension of the wing, and an angled portion that projects at an upward angle from the body portion. The body portion is attachable to an aircraft wing and includes a controllable airflow modification device coupled thereto. By virtue of having a controllable airflow modification device, the winglet is capable of adjusting a control surface of the controllable airflow modification device in response to in-flight conditions, to reduce wing loads, increase range, and increase efficiency.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An aircraft comprising:
 a fuselage and a wing, the wing coupled to the fuselage at a first end of the wing; and   a winglet comprising:
 a horizontal portion and an angled portion, the horizontal portion being configured to couple to a second end of the wing such that the angled portion projects at an upward angle from the horizontal portion; and 
 a controllable airflow modification device coupled to the horizontal portion of the winglet, wherein the controllable airflow modification device is inboard from the angled portion. 
   
     
     
         15 . The aircraft of  claim 14 , further comprising a second controllable airflow modification device coupled to the vertical portion of the winglet. 
     
     
         16 . The aircraft of  claim 14 , the winglet being specifically configured for the aircraft based at least in part on in-flight data. 
     
     
         17 . The aircraft of  claim 14 , the controllable airflow modification device being configured to adjust a control surface of the winglet electronically, mechanically, hydraulically, and/or pneumatically. 
     
     
         18 . The winglet of  claim 14 , the controllable airflow modification device being coupled to a control system comprising a control device configured with control logic, the control device being communicatively coupled to a sensor located on the aircraft and configured to receive a signal from the sensor located on the aircraft. 
     
     
         19 . The aircraft of  claim 18 , the control device being further configured to adjust the controllable airflow modification device at least partly based on the signal from the sensor located on the aircraft. 
     
     
         20 . The aircraft of  claim 19 , the sensor located on the aircraft being configured to receive in-flight load factor data and/or transmit the in-flight load factor data to the control device.