Could Mass-actuated Control Change Aircraft Design?

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Interesting concept. It's the method used to control hang gliders.

I'm wondering how much weight and movement would be required to control a full size aircraft, and I'm wondering how quick the response would be. For example, an airplane in a banked turn would require moving the weight uphill to level out (assuming it's inside of the wing), and move farther than in level flight to achieve the same moment.

And extra weight does have a drag penalty, depending on the lift to drag ratio. Extra weight requires extra lift. Extra lift means extra drag.

I'm guessing that it's been considered before and it isn't done that way because control surfaces are more efficient.

My thoughts exactly. But I have no longer been surprised by useless/impractical/uneconomical/absurd theses that come out of academia because of academia's penchant for 'novel' research. All the smart ideas have been presented so students are left to do dissertations on stupid ideas.

Don't forget that typically the school owns the dissertation rights, not the student.

Dissertations are not patents, but usually patents flow from dissertations.