Embedded Files
Funded by the Air Force Research Lab
January 2020 - December 2025
Table of Contents
Project Overview
Birds control lateral maneuvers without a vertical tail. The goal of the present work is to evaluate whether aircraft can be controlled with a bio-inspired rotating empennage (rotating horizontal tail).
In theory, the forces and moments produced by the empennage can be summed to a single force vector and moment vector. By rotating a horizontal stabilizer and deflecting the elevator, the same force and moment vectors should be able to be created without a vertical tail.
Flight Simulation
We have developed a flight simulator to evaluate the static and dynamic stability and controls of the BIRE variant of the F-16 compared to the baseline aircraft.
V1.1: Full F-16 Simulator
January 2023
Features:
Updated aerodynamic model, including Prandtl-Glauert compressibility corrections
Direct surface / throttle control using keyboard, gamepad, or joystick input
Full HUD including flight path vector, radar altitude, mach number, and control surface indicators
Spring-damper landing physics using terrain ray casts
3rd person, cockpit, and toggleable alternate camera views
Hardware-In-The_Loop Testing
Aircraft
In preparation for testing the BIRE vehicle, multiple vehicles were tested to prove custom flight system hardware and software.
Volantex Phoenix
Flite-Test Explorer
Hobbyzone Aeroscout
E-flite F-16 80mm V2
BIRE
Publications
Journal Publications
Stabilizing a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Fighter Aircraft in Multiple Trim Scenarios
Moulton, B. C., Harris, M. W., and Hunsaker, D. F., “Stabilizing a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Fighter Aircraft in Multiple Trim Scenarios,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics 2025, 48(3), 520-536. DOI: 10.2514/1.G008456
A Review of Avian-Inspired Morphing for UAV Flight Control
Harvey, C., Gamble, L. L., Bolander C. R., Hunsaker, D. F., Joo, J. J., and Inman, D. J., "A review of avian-inspired morphing for UAV flight control," Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 2022, 27 pages, DOI: 10.1016/j.paerosci.2022.100825
Conference Publications
Evaluation of Stability and Controllability of the Multiple Trim Solutions for a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Fighter Aircraft
Moulton, B. C., Bolander, C. R., and Hunsaker, D. F., “Evaluation of Stability and Controllability of the Multiple Trim Solutions for a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Fighter Aircraft” AIAA SciTech 2025 Forum, January 2025, AIAA-2025-0662 DOI: 10.2514/6.2025-0662
Evaluation of First-Order Actuator Dynamics and Linear Controller for a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Fighter Aircraft
Moulton, B. C., Harris, M. W., Hunsaker, D. F., and Joo, J. J., “Evaluation of First-Order Actuator Dynamics and Linear Controller for a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Fighter Aircraft,” AIAA SciTech 2024 Forum, January 2024, AIAA-2024-2649 DOI: 10.2514/6.2024-2649
Attainable Moment Set and Actuation Time of a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage
Bolander, Christian R., et al. "Attainable Moment Set and Actuation Time of a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage." AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum. 2022. DOI: 10.2514/6.2022-1670
Static Trim of a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage for a Fighter Aircraft
Bolander, C. R., Kohler, A. J., Hunsaker, D. F., Myszka, D., and Joo, J. J., “Static Trim of a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage for a Fighter Aircraft,” AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum, 2023, p. 0624. DOI: 10.2514/6.2023-0624
Linearized Rigid-Body Static and Dynamic Stability Of An Aircraft With A Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage
Kohler, A. J., Bolander, C. R., Hunsaker, D. F., and Joo, J. J., “Linearized Rigid-Body Static and Dynamic Stability Of An Aircraft With A Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage,” AIAA SciTech 2022 forum, 2022, DOI: 10.2514/6.2023-0621
Theses and Dissertations
Controllers and Control Insights for a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Fighter Aircraft
Moulton, Benjamin C., "Controllers and Control Insights for a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Fighter Aircraft" (2025). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present. 510.
Aerodynamic Implications of a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Design for Control of a Fighter Aircraft
Bolander, Christian R., "Aerodynamic Implications of a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage Design for Control of a Fighter Aircraft" (2022). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 8749.
Linearized Rigid-Body Static and Dynamic Stability of an Aircraft With a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage
Kohler, Austin J., "Linearized Rigid-Body Static and Dynamic Stability of an Aircraft With a Bio-Inspired Rotating Empennage" (2022). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 8675.
Students
PhD
Christian Bolander
Ben Moulton
MS
Austin Kohler
Ashton Gilbert
Kathle Tischner
Undergraduate
Spencer Adams
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