Visual Modulation of the Flexible Morphing Wing Pose Utilizing Pure Shear Dielectric Elastomer and Stretchable Photonic Crystal

Abstract Morphing wings (MWs) represent a hot research area in future aircraft development, as they enable real‐time adjustment of flight attitude through dynamic alterations in shape and angle. However, the real‐time feedback and control system of the pose in the current research work is more complex, and the feedback process is not simple and intuitive enough. In this paper, a flexible skin (FS) with the ability of angle self‐sensing is prepared by combining stretchable photonic crystal (SPC) with pure shear dielectric elastomer (DE), which is combined with the 3D printed skeleton to form a flexible morphing wing (FMW) whose pose changes can be visually sensed according to structural color. This provides a simple way for pose monitoring and control of MWs. Compared with FMW without integrated SPC, under the premise of ensuring that the energy output capacity is not affected, it makes the final control of strain and angle range more accurate through the visual sensing ability for strain and angle of FMW. The results indicate that the SPC‐integrated FMW exhibits strain and angle visual‐sensing ability, which provides a new path and possibility for the aerial attitude control of future morphing wing aircraft.