Multi-Axis Nose-Pointing-and-Shooting in a Biomimetic Morphing-Wing Aircraft

Modern high-performance combat aircraft exceed conventional flight-envelope limits on maneuverability through the use of thrust vectoring, and so achieve supermaneuverability. With ongoing development biomimetic unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), potential for supermaneuverability mechanisms becomes apparent. So far, this has not been well studied: UAVs have yet shown to be capable any forms classical available thrust-vectored aircraft. Here we show capability, by demonstrating how morphing-wing can perform sophisticated multiaxis nose-pointing-and-shooting (NPAS) maneuvers at low morphing complexity. Nonlinear flight-dynamic analysis is used characterize extent stability multidimensional space trim states that arises from morphing. Navigating provides an effective model-based guidance strategy generating open-loop NPAS in simulation. Our results demonstrate capability air combat-relevant supermaneuverability, provide strategies exploration, characterization, further non-classical such