Modeling and Simulation Analysis of Transition Mode for Tiltrotor Flying Car

As a core enabler of the low-altitude economy, flying cars have gained significant attention from both academia and industry due to their three-dimensional mobility, which can effectively alleviate ground traffic congestion. Unlike conventional vehicles and aircraft, flying cars need to achieve rapid land-air mode transitions in complex urban low-altitude environments while maintaining optimal flight endurance performance. Among various flying car configurations, the tiltrotor flying car stands out for its ability to perform vertical takeoff and landing as well as high-speed cruise flight, offering efficient aerial transportation and broad application prospects. This paper establishes a dynamic model for the transition mode of a tiltrotor flying car. The governing equations of motion are systematically derived, enabling unified vector analysis of aerodynamic forces and moments acting on rotors, wings, and tail surfaces through coordinate transformations. By establishing and trimming a simulation model, the study derives a safe transition corridor and proposes recommended transition paths. In the end, this study adopts a cascade PID control scheme, enabling the controller of 60° tilt angle to be applied stably in the fixed-wing flight mode and demonstrating robust performance.