The design of conventional fixed wing aircraft provides an average performance over a range of mission segments, such as takeoff, cruise, dash, loiter, and landing; or optimal performance in the mission segment within which the most time is spent; and below average performance in other mission segments. Conventional mechanisms that result in geometric changes that enable operation over multiple mission segments, such as ailerons, elevators, rudders, spoilers, flaps and slats, are normally part of control systems that ensure the vehicle will be able to operate within a desired flight envelope, but the implementation of these systems does not typically result in a design that can continually respond and adapt to changing environmental, aerodynamic or flight conditions in the most efficient manner.
Therefore, there have been many attempts to design a wing or wing component that changes shape, or morphs on command or at some predetermined design characteristic. Some of these attempts involve some form of active control to change the shape. However, these common concepts can be further improved, in particular in view of the fuel consumption of an aircraft.