Hierarchical Flight Control System for Morphing Aircraft

This study proposes a hierarchical flight-control system for morphing aircraft. A fixed-wing aircraft capable of actively changing its wing configuration in flight is referred to as a morphing aircraft. By adapting its configuration to the flight regime and mission, a morphing aircraft can optimize the required flight performance. However, the additional actuation mechanisms required for morphing may increase aircraft weight or reduce structural stiffness. Moreover, if changes in flight characteristics caused by configuration changes are not properly considered in flight-control design, performance and stability may be degraded. This study aims to design flight-control laws that guarantee performance during configuration changes and to develop a flight-control system that actively exploits morphing.