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Article

Asynchronous Tilt Transition Control of Quad Tilt Rotor UAV

1
College of Automation Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210000, China
2
National Key Laboratory of Helicopter Aeromechanics, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210000, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Drones 2026, 10(1), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/drones10010076 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 12 December 2025 / Revised: 20 January 2026 / Accepted: 21 January 2026 / Published: 22 January 2026

Abstract

To address the challenges inherent in the transition flight control of QTR UAVs, this paper proposes an asynchronous tilt transition control framework that integrates NDIC with an ESO. First, a heterogeneous control allocation strategy is introduced to coordinate the rotors and aerodynamic surfaces, thereby maintaining consistent matching between control demands and actuator capabilities. Furthermore, compared with the synchronous tilt strategy, the proposed asynchronous tilt strategy improves pitch moment balance and forward acceleration capability, thereby enhancing robustness against CG variations and extending the achievable forward acceleration range. Finally, based on the asynchronous tilt transition strategy, a transition flight control method combining NDIC with ESO is presented to achieve precise transition control performance under the lumped disturbances. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed tilt method achieves a safe and smooth transition, satisfies dynamic performance requirements, and exhibits strong robustness and high control accuracy.
Keywords: UAV; quad tilt rotor; asynchronous tilt transition; control allocation; NDIC; ESO UAV; quad tilt rotor; asynchronous tilt transition; control allocation; NDIC; ESO

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Li, X.; Su, Z.; Chen, X.; Jiang, C.; Hou, M. Asynchronous Tilt Transition Control of Quad Tilt Rotor UAV. Drones 2026, 10, 76. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones10010076

AMA Style

Li X, Su Z, Chen X, Jiang C, Hou M. Asynchronous Tilt Transition Control of Quad Tilt Rotor UAV. Drones. 2026; 10(1):76. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones10010076

Chicago/Turabian Style

Li, Xuebing, Zikang Su, Xin Chen, Changhui Jiang, and Mi Hou. 2026. "Asynchronous Tilt Transition Control of Quad Tilt Rotor UAV" Drones 10, no. 1: 76. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones10010076

APA Style

Li, X., Su, Z., Chen, X., Jiang, C., & Hou, M. (2026). Asynchronous Tilt Transition Control of Quad Tilt Rotor UAV. Drones, 10(1), 76. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones10010076

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