Progress in aerodynamics and aeroelasticity of morphing aircraft

This review comprehensively synthesizes the progress concerning the aerodynamic and aeroelastic characteristics of morphing aircraft over the past years (circa 2010-2026). The morphing strategies are categorized into three primary dimensions based on established classifications: chordwise morphing (primarily camber morphing), spanwise morphing (primarily spanwise bending), and planform morphing (including sweep and span morphing). For each morphing strategy, the investigations are systematically reviewed, detailing advances in steady and unsteady aerodynamics, aeroelastic modeling and characteristics, and the application of active control strategies (aeroelastic and maneuver control). Distinct research priorities exist for different morphing strategies: chordwise camber morphing focuses primarily on aerodynamics, while spanwise bending centers on aeroelastic modeling and characteristics. Moreover, given the potential application in configuration adjustments across different flight phases, research on sweep and span morphing predominantly focuses on steady and quasi-steady states. The review also summarizes the current methodologies employed in aerodynamic and aeroelastic analysis and highlights the primary approaches for incorporating aerodynamic (primarily computational fluid dynamics) and structural nonlinearities, as well as their interaction frameworks, such as coupling with computational structural dynamics. The implementation of morphing in control systems is also reviewed, where a notable trend is the integration of control law modules (primarily feedforward and feedback control) into fluid–structure interaction frameworks. As a conclusion, the gap between model and practical application for morphing aircraft still exist. The challenges of detailed modelling for actuation system and time-varying aerodynamics should be paid more attention.