Model Reference Adaptive Control for a Manned eVTOL Aircraft

The manned electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft as an emerging option for urban transportation has attracted considerable attention. However, its flight control system faces various challenges, including issues of stability and safety. This paper aims to explore the application of Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) in manned eVTOL aircraft. Firstly, it introduces the current development status of manned eVTOL aircraft and the challenges faced by their flight control systems. Secondly, it delves into the principles and methods of MRAC, analyzing its potential advantages in manned eVTOL aircraft. Then, it establishes the dynamics model of the aircraft and linearizes the nonlinear dynamic model, proposing a flight control system design based on MRAC. Subsequently, flight data obtained by MRAC and PID controllers will be compared through simulation and actual flight experiments, respectively. The results demonstrate that the control performance and disturbance rejection capabilities of the MRAC controller are superior to those of the Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller. Finally, it summarizes the research findings and prospects for future research directions. This paper provides new ideas and methods for the design of control law for manned eVTOL aircraft, promoting the development of urban air transportation systems.