Design and Validation of a New Tilting Rotor VTOL Drone: Structural Optimization, Flight Dynamics, and PID Control

This study addresses the gap in the experimental validation of the tilt-rotor vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs by developing a novel prototype that integrates fixed-wing and multi-rotor advantages. A dynamic model based on the “X” quadrotor configuration was established, and Euler parameters were employed to derive the attitude transformation matrix. Structural optimization using hybrid meshing and inertia release methods revealed a maximum deformation of 57.1 mm (2.82% of half-wingspan) and stress concentrations below material limits (379.21 MPa on fasteners). The landing gear was optimized using the unified objective method, and the stress was reduced by 32.63 MPa compared to the pre-optimization stress. Vibration analysis identified hazardous frequencies (11–12 Hz) to avoid resonance. Stable motor speed tracking (±5 RPM) and rolling attitude control (less than 10% error) are achieved using a dual-serial PID control system based on the DSP28377D master. Experimental validation in low-altitude flights confirmed the prototype’s feasibility, though ground effects impacted pitch/yaw performance. This work provides critical experimental data for future tilt-rotor UAV development.