Simultaneous Prediction of Blade Geometry and Control Gain Parameters in Morphing Rotary Wing UAV Using the DS Algorithm

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designs have become a major focus of attention with the rapid advancement of technology in the engineering field. Power system design and the determination of autopilot parameters are among the most important factors in fixed- and rotary-wing UAVs. This study discusses the optimization of the thrust and autonomous performance of a morphing unmanned helicopter. The rotor blade geometric parameters and PID controller gain parameters used in a morphing unmanned helicopter were evaluated simultaneously. For this purpose, the maximum thrust/torque ratio and rise time, settling time, maximum overshoot were calculated by considering parameters such as blade length, blade mass density, blade chord width, blade twist angle, and PID gain coefficients used in the unmanned helicopter. A cost function with complex relationships consisting of these parameters was created. In solving the function in question, the Differential Search (DS) algorithm, which is a heuristic algorithm due to its robust convergence behaviour and simplicity, was used. Simulation results performed with the proposed DS algorithm-based method reveal the impact of design variables and PID gain parameters on thrust and autonomous system performance. Since such parametric optimization studies for helicopters are limited, optimizing blade parameters and control parameters together in this study is a rare approach in the literature.