<p>This paper focuses on ionic polymer–metal composite (IPMC), an electroactive polymer made from platinum coatings on both sides of a thin ionic polymer membrane. If an electric current is supplied across the coated metal, IPMC’s unique ability to transform electrical energy into mechanical deformation is triggered. This property makes IPMC an excellent candidate for use as an electromechanical transducer and actuator, as well as a propulsion system for underwater biomimetic robots. Fractional-order (FO) models offer more accurate representations of real-world systems compared with integer-order models by providing a more precise description of system dynamics. An FO transfer function is developed for the IPMC propulsor through process identification on a prototype. Two control approaches—FO inverse model control and FO proportional integral derivative control—are implemented to regulate the IPMC propulsor tip’s bending displacement. A comparative analysis highlights the superior performance of FO controllers over integer-order models.</p>