Lift-plus-Cruise Aircraft Modeling, Guidance, Adaptive Control,and Flight Simulation

In the rapidly evolving sectors of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM), there is an increasing need for technologies that can cater to both Department of Defense (DoD) and commercial applications. These applications range from logistics and supply delivery to disaster relief, search and rescue operations, air taxi services, and operations in underdeveloped areas. This paper presents the development and testing of an adaptive flight control system for lift-plus-cruise eVTOL aircraft, aimed at providing a smooth transition from hover/low-speed flight to forward/high-speed flight. The proposed framework consists of the aircraft model, the guidance system that translates pilot inceptor commands to control inputs, and the neural network adaptive controller that stabilizes the aircraft. The simulation is performed to demonstrate the robustness and adaptability of the system for UAM in diverse operational contexts.