Multidisciplinary Design Optimization of Aerial Vehicles: A Review of Recent Advancements

The aim of this paper is to present the most common practices in multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) of aerial vehicles over the past decade. The literature sample is identified through established internet search engines, and a stringent review methodology is implemented in order to ensure the selection of the most relevant sources. In this work, the primary emphasis is on the assessment of the state-of-the-art framework development strategies, while at a secondary level, the objective is to identify the possible improvement directions by evaluating the research trends and gaps. As an additional contribution, statistical studies are also provided, and it is shown how MDO of aerial vehicles has evolved in terms of problem formulation, disciplinary modeling, analysis capabilities, tool implementation, and general applicability. Given this foundation as well as the results of the review, this work concludes by presenting a roadmap for guiding academia and industry in respect to the application of MDO on aerial vehicles. Overall, the roadmap together with the literature review is not only expected to serve as a guide for newcomers into the MDO field but also as an elementary basis which will allow researchers to conduct additional studies in this important and constantly evolving area of design.