Design and Out-of-Plane Load Characteristics Analysis of a High-Folding-Ratio Morphing Wing

To address the challenges of structural deformation and limited load-bearing capacity in morphing wings, this paper proposes a novel rigid–flexible composite morphing wing based on a foldable membrane–skeleton structure with a high folding ratio. Inspired by the deployment mechanics of biological wings and the cooperative support principle of multi-bar mechanisms, an optimization model was established to resolve hinge interference in the skeletal design. Through geometric reconstruction of the skeleton, the design achieves compact stowage in the folded state and maximizes wing area in the deployed configuration. Furthermore, an integrated design model for the membrane–skeleton interface was established based on rigid–flexible hybrid connection principles, followed by an analysis of the wing’s static structural characteristics via finite element simulation. A prototype was fabricated to experimentally validate its morphing functionality and out-of-plane load-bearing performance. Results demonstrate that the mechanism attains an effective folding ratio of approximately 7.19. Additionally, the influence of membrane prestress on the overall structural load capacity was systematically investigated.