Design and Experimental Validation of Real-Time Drag Optimization and Maneuver Load Alleviation Controls for a High Aspect Ratio Flexible Transport Wing

This paper presents control strategies for cruise drag minimization and maneuver load alleviation on a high–aspect-ratio flexible transport wing. The approach combines online parameter estimation with real-time control to optimize aerodynamic performance and reduce wing-root loads in a wind tunnel environment. Experiments were conducted on an aeroelastically scaled, half-span Common Research Model in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at Mach 0.55. Results demonstrate a 12.2% reduction in drag from an initial high-drag condition while maintaining the target lift, and wing-root strain reductions of approximately 7.0% and 13.2% for ±5◦ and ±10◦ actuator saturation limits during lift maneuvers. These findings validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategies in achieving drag reduction and load alleviation under realistic actuation and measurement constraints.