Multimode morphing wing with integrated multistable mechanisms for unmanned aerial vehicles

Avian flyers widely use large morphological shape changes to maneuver. In conventional aircraft, maneuverability is primarily achieved through discrete control surfaces rather than global wing morphing capabilities. Small unmanned aerial vehicles, however, must often navigate uncertain environments where compactness, agility, and low-power morphing capabilities are paramount. Because continuous actuation of morphing mechanisms imposes mass and energy penalties, there is a need for low-energy, passively stable morphing technologies. We present a multimode, multistable morphing wing that integrates one translational and three rotational degrees of freedom using 3D-printed mechanisms. The architecture combines bistable unit cells with prestressed elements that exploit post-buckling, enabling bistability and programmable switching thresholds for controlled reconfiguration among states. Prototypes were fabricated and analyzed, and demonstrate precise, independent morphing in angle of attack, dihedral/anhedral, and sweep. Each configuration is intrinsically self-stable, sustaining large geometric changes without continuous energy input and reducing actuation demands for lightweight UAVs. State transitions can be triggered manually, by compact onboard actuators, or by aeroelastic loading during flight, and the same mechanisms allow vertical wing reorientation for compact storage. This scalable, reprogrammable platform enables tunable aerodynamic performance through structural deformation and supports integration with adaptive flight control for next-generation UAVs.