Variable Aerodynamic Damping Actuation via Co-Contraction: A Structural Analogy with Variable Stiffness Actuation

Abstract:This work identifies a passive aerodynamic damping effect induced by co-contraction in antagonistic redundant propulsion. Complementing prior work on aerodynamic promptness, which addressed active wrench-rate authority along constant-wrench fibers, we study the passive side: the local derivative of aerodynamic force with respect to air-relative velocity at a trim. This derivative defines an incremental aerodynamic damping coefficient. We prove that it increases monotonically along constant-force fibers under a mild aerodynamic hardening condition, and derive this property from a first-order Blade Element Theory model exposing the relevant speed-inflow coupling. The resulting mechanism, Variable Aerodynamic Damping Actuation (VADA), is formulated as an antagonistic aerodynamic actuation module and allocation principle, structurally analogous to variable-stiffness actuation at the level of fiber motions and incremental impedance modulation. An impedance-form interpretation clarifies common- and differential-mode roles, while a propeller-data-based assessment using the UIUC Propeller Database shows that the identified damping has practical small-UAV magnitude, is comparable to ordinary low-speed body-drag damping, and depends strongly on low-advance-ratio thrust sensitivity.

Robotics (cs.RO); Systems and Control (eess.SY); Optimization and Control (math.OC)

arXiv:2605.07292 [cs.RO]

(or arXiv:2605.07292v2 [cs.RO] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2605.07292 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite

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