In this paper, we present the development of a non-linear model predictive controller for the trajectory tracking of a quadrotor using the CasADi optimization framework. The non-linear dynamic model of the quadrotor was derived using Newton–Euler equations, and the control algorithm and drone dynamics were wrapped in Matlab. The proposed controller was tested by simulating the tracking of a 3D helical reference trajectory, and its efficiency was evaluated in terms of numerical performance and tracking accuracy. The results showed that the proposed controller leads to faster computational times, approximately 20 times faster than the Matlab toolbox (nlmpc), and provides better tracking accuracy than both the Matlab toolbox and classical PID controller. The robustness of the proposed control algorithm was also tested and verified under model uncertainties and external disturbances, demonstrating its ability to effectively eliminate tracking errors.

Liquid sloshing in partially filled tanks poses significant challenges in various engineering applications, including transportation, aerospace, and maritime industries. Traditional baffle designs, primarily oriented in either the vertical or horizontal direction, have shown limitations in suppressing sloshing efficiently. This study introduces a novel Tree-shaped baffle, designed to enhance energy dissipation and mitigate sloshing more effectively. This design integrates both vertical and horizontal elements to disrupt wave propagation and reduce dynamic pressure fluctuations on tank walls. Its performance is systematically compared to that of a Plus-shaped baffle to evaluate relative effectiveness under surge excitation. A numerical approach was employed to evaluate the performance of the proposed baffles. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were conducted in OpenFOAM using the volume-of-fluid method to accurately capture the free surface dynamics. Simulations were performed across three filling levels and two excitation frequencies corresponding to fe/f1 = 1 and 2. The results demonstrate that both baffle types effectively suppress free surface wave height and reduce dynamic wall forces, with the Tree baffle consistently outperforming the Plus baffle. The Tree baffle reduces maximum wall forces by 36.3% and wave heights by 28.1% at 50% filling at resonant condition. Detailed analyses of time histories, hydrodynamic pressure, force responses, and interface contours reveal that the Tree baffle's branched geometry disrupts wave motion more effectively, enhances energy dissipation, and reduces sloshing-induced loads. These findings highlight the potential of novel baffle designs for improving the stability and safety of fluid containment systems under dynamic loading.

This study presents the design and implementation of a real-time flight-path tracking control system for a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of accurately following a mobile ground target under dynamic and uncertain environmental conditions. The proposed framework integrates classical fixed-gain PID regulation executed on Pixhawk with its built-in adaptive mechanisms, namely autotuning, hover-throttle learning, and dynamic harmonic notch filtering, to enhance robustness under communication latency and disturbances. No machine learning PID tuning is used on Pixhawk; adaptive features are estimator based rather than ML based. The proposed system addresses critical challenges in trajectory tracking, including real-time delay compensation between the UAV and rover, external perturbations, and the requirement to maintain stable six-degree-of-freedom (DOF) control of altitude, yaw, pitch, and roll. A dynamic mathematical model, formulated using ordinary differential equations with embedded delay elements, is developed to emulate real-world flight behavior and validate control performance. Experimental evaluation demonstrates robust path-tracking accuracy, attitude stability, and responsiveness across diverse terrains and weather conditions, achieving a mean positional error below one meter and effective resilience against an 8.2 ms communication delay. Overall, this work establishes a scalable, computationally efficient, and high-precision control framework for UAV guidance and cooperative ground-target tracking, with potential applications in autonomous navigation, search-and-rescue operations, infrastructure inspection, and intelligent surveillance. The term “delay-aware” in this work refers to the explicit modeling of the measured 8.2 ms end-to-end delay and the use of Pixhawk’s estimator-based adaptive mechanisms, without any machine learning-based PID tuning.

The growing demand for sustainable energy has driven innovation in wind and marine turbines, where the conventional airfoils, though reliable, perform poorly in unsteady flows. This review explores the transition of blade design from conventional to bio-inspired blade designs. Although several studies have explored the use of biomimetic principles for turbine blade designs, this review highlights the core biological strategies successfully translated into engineering designs to improve aerodynamic and hydrodynamic performance. In addition, it emphasizes the critical role of interdisciplinary integration, linking biology, material science, and engineering, in advancing and enabling the practical realization of biomimetics in energy systems. This narrative review consolidates the trends, gaps, and underexplored opportunities in the current literature on biomimetics. Theoretically, it elevates bio-inspired design from descriptive analogy into a predictive framework grounded in natural efficiency mechanisms; practically, it articulates a framework for transforming biological design into robust, highly efficient, and commercially viable turbine systems. Further, the review highlighted a persistent gap between experimental advances and commercial deployment, underscoring the lack of scalable manufacturability and techno-economic validation.