Vertical Stability in Fixed Wing UAVs: A Review

For both traditional airplanes and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), yaw—angular movement around the vertical axis—is the result of wind gusts, asymmetric thrust, or control surface deflection. While roll and pitch dynamics are long known and well stabilized with well-established control structures, yaw stabilization has been relatively less studied. This disparity in research focus has created less mature models, sensing methods, and control algorithms for directional stability control. Yaw angle changes can impose substantial and varying impacts on aerodynamic performance, fuel consumption, and payload performance, particularly during low-speed maneuvering missions, crosswind missions, or precision navigation missions. The current lack of a comprehensive understanding of yaw dynamics relative to roll and pitch is an opportunity gap in the development of adaptive, high-precision autopilot systems. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of various methodologies for stabilizing the yaw of an aircraft.