The mission performance of future advanced aerospace structures can be synthetically improved via active shape control utilizing piezoelectric materials. Multiple work modes are required. Bending/twisting mode control receives special attention for many classic aerospace structures, such as active reflector systems, active blades, and compliant morphing wings. Piezoelectric fiber composite (Piezocomposite) material features in-plane anisotropic actuation, which is very suitable for multiple work modes. In this study, two identical macro-fiber composite (MFC) actuators of the F1 type were bonded to the base plate structure in an “antisymmetric angle-ply bimorph configuration” in order to achieve independent bending/twisting shape control. In terms of the finite element model and homogenization strategy, the locations of bimorph MFCs were determined by considering the effect of trade-off control capabilities on the bending and twisting shapes. The modal characteristics were investigated via both experimental and theoretical approaches. The experimental tests implied that the shape control accuracy was heavily reduced due to various uncertainties and nonlinearities, including hysteresis and the creep effect of the actuators, model errors, and external disturbances. A multi-mode feedback control law was designed and the experimental tests indicated that synthetic (independent and coupled) bending/twisting deformations were achieved with improved shape accuracy. This study provides a feasible multi-mode shape control approach with high surface accuracy, especially by employing piezocomposite materials.

The Active Disturbance Rejection Controller (ADRC), celebrated for its superior resistance to interference, presents itself as an exemplary solution for the development of control systems that are designed to accommodate substantial changes in payload weight for quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and to endure robust side winds along with other challenging operational scenarios. Despite the inherent complexity due to the numerous parameters required for the configuration of the ADRC, an innovative method utilizing the Kriging surrogate optimization algorithm has been introduced to automate and expedite the generation of these controller parameters. The development of the ADRC begins with the dynamics model of the quadrotor UAV, followed by the identification of key design parameters. These parameters are then rapidly optimized through the Kriging surrogate optimization algorithm. The controller’s effectiveness is confirmed by implementing the ADRC on Pixhawk flight control hardware, with a comparative analysis of the attitude response under various operating conditions, thereby validating the ADRC’s superior anti-disturbance performance.

The variable-camber wing (VCW), one of the most typical morphing wings for future aircraft, requires rapid and accurate aerodynamic regulation in high-maneuverability flight control. However, the dynamic lift responses during fast morphing deflection exhibit unsteady hysteresis effects, hindering shape and flight control performance. This study proposed a novel modeling and feedforward compensation algorithm based on the Prandtl-Ishlinskii (PI) model to mitigate such unsteady hysteresis effect from a control perspective. First, unsteady lift responses of a trailing-edge VCW under periodic and non-periodic morphing cases are analyzed with morphing trajectory impacts on lift behavior examined. A forward model mapping ”morphing trajectory - lift response” is developed using PI hysteresis operators and log(t)-creep operators, identified via CFD time-domain data. From this, an inverse model of the ”expected lift response-compensated morphing trajectory” is derived with a hysteresis compensation function. Simulations indicate that periodic lift hysteresis is effectively compensated, yielding a quasi-steady linear relationship. For fast terminal morphing, compensated trajectories enable lift to reach targets rapidly, smoothly, and stably without lag. Robustness is validated via varying lift targets and terminal times. This work offers new insights for fast morphing wing and high-maneuverability control of future smart aircraft.