With the continuous improvement of requirements for aerodynamic performance and control efficiency of modern aerial vehicles, active flow control technology has become a frontier direction in aerodynamics research and engineering applications by virtue of its precise and flexible regulation capability on flow field structures. As a novel active control method featuring no moving parts, fast response and easy integration, plasma active flow control technology exhibits great development potential and unique technical advantages in the field of active control. This study systematically sorts out the basic strategies of active flow control, and focuses on introducing typical control methods represented by oscillating jets, synthetic jets and plasma excitation as well as their corresponding actuators. On this basis, centering on plasma flow control technology, it elaborates in detail the working principles of different types of actuators such as dielectric barrier discharge actuators and plasma synthetic jet actuators. Starting from typical scenarios including boundary layer transition and separation control as well as airfoil flow optimization, this study deeply analyzes the key mechanisms of plasma in flow fields. Finally, the future development directions of this technology are prospected from three dimensions: exploration of novel excitation modes, optimization of adaptability to complex environments, and intelligent control strategies combined with machine learning algorithms, aiming to provide valuable references for promoting its transition from mechanism research to engineering application.