Experimental X-56A's thin, bendy wings herald a revolution in airliner design

According to NASA, the future of long-range aircraft lies in very long, thin, flexible wings, with a very high aspect ratio, to give same lift than legacy wings, but with less weight and drag. Main problem with this kind of wings is flutter, that destroys them.


Working with Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works, NASA has been building and testing UAVs that use active flutter control measures to detect when the vibrations are beginning, and intervene to smooth out them, so that passengers can enjoy their ride while their aircraft is also not tearing itself apart and falling to a fiery doom. Continue reading:
In New Atlas https://newatlas.com/nasa-lockheed-x-56a-anti-flutter/52178/
In NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/features/highly_flexible_wings_tested.html