Abstract: Aeronautical smart structure is an integrated system composed of distributed sensor, actuator and controller network. It provides load-bearing, measuring, decision making and actuation functions to aeronautical structures, and improves the performance of modern aircraft. In this paper, a comprehensive review is made of state of the art research in aeronautical smart structures. The basic principles, technical approaches and latest progress in on-line load monitoring and damage diagnosis technology, active vibration control and noise suppression technology, adaptive wing and smart rotor technology, and active fluid control of micro aerial vehicle technology are discussed in detail. Some important topics, including the development of reliable embedded sensor and actuator elements, dynamic modeling and control method in multi-fields coupling non-linear systems, the damage failure and tolerance theories, are put forward as the fundamental problems and technical challenges in future aeronautical smart structure system research. Multi-scale and multi-disciplinary modeling, analysis, simulation and optimization method, advanced information processing and fusion technology, and robust control theories are suggested as potential technical approaches to solve these difficulties.

Key words: smart structure, vibration control, adaptive wing, smart rotor, structural health monitoring