Stingray

Year

1991 – 2001

The idea

This flying object, modelled on the marine creature of the same name, served as a test medium for air-filled design principles and innovative materials.

The objective

The Stingray, controlled by a human pilot, is agile and easily manoeuvrable.

Technical data

• Speed: 140 km/h
• Flight altitude: 3700 m
• Weight: < 1000 kg

Operating principle

The Stingray demonstrated for the first time that pneumatic structures can meet the highest safety requirements. The fundamental question was how complex structures with air could be produced. Already in the first design sketches, the favourable flow characteristics determined that this object would resemble a stingray.

Pioneer

The flying object was designed as a supporting structure without fixed components – it was a purely textile-pneumatic construction. Its stability was ensured by the interaction of forces in the tensioned membrane surfaces, which were mainly filled with helium.

Theory

According to an important fundamental formula in the theory of pneumatic structures, radius times pressure equals circumferential tension. This means that smaller structures must be inflated more than larger ones to attain the same circumferential tension. The first practical test flight demonstrated that the adaptable structure of the Stingray was safe and stable.