Development of cellular data network enabled autonomous rotary UAV

PurposeThe paper aims to provide further study on the development and analysis of flight control system for two‐dimensional (2D) differential geometric (DG) guidance and control system based on the application of a set‐point weighting proportional‐integral‐derivative (PID) controller.Design/methodology/approachThe commanded angle‐of‐attack is developed in the time domain using the classical differential geometry theory. Then, a set‐point weighting PID controller is introduced to develop a flight control system so as to form the 2D DG guidance and control system, and the gains of the PID controller are determined by the Ziegler‐Nichols method as well as the Routh‐Hurwitz stability criterion. Finally, the classical frequency method is utilized to study the relative stability and robustness of the designed flight control system.FindingsThe results demonstrate that the designed controller yields a fast responding and stable system which is robust to the high frequency parameters variation. Moreover, the DG guidance law is viable and effective in a realistic missile defense engagement.Originality/valueThis paper provides a novel approach on the development of DG guidance and control system associated with its stability analysis.

This paper discusses the design and application method of flight control actuation system models based Modelica. According to the physical topology layout of aircraft flight control system, the model development of flight control system is decomposed from top to bottom, and all component parts of flight control system are developed by using development tool based on Modelica language, and the tree structure model library of flight control system is set up. Based on the established model library resources, the flying control system of specific aircraft can be integrated and encapsulated in accordance with the requirements. The model verification work is made through several levels of model verification to ensure that the function of the model has reached the development requirement. The confirmed flight control system models, which can be used to analyze the influence of flight control system on different user cases of aircraft ‘flight scenes, the models also can be used in real-time simulation of human in the loop with visual virtual scene. In the upgrading plan of an engineering simulator, the flight control system models are transformed into FMU models of FMI interface standard and loading into the engineering simulator to run successfully.

The flight control with wind disturbance predictive model for the University of Glasgow Singapore (UGS) Lynxmotion Hunter Y-shape V-Tail 500 are presented. The V-Tail has the capability of high directional manoeuvre by the tilted (angled) hind rotors arms. However, the drawbacks of this design are that it causes instability during strong crosswind and structural instability at the rear. As such, the development of a new flight control system with wind correction is required to assist in making this platform stable. The previous phase of this work was to understand the needs and objectives of this project, source for the right configuration and constructing of the V-Tail for the investigation of its flight behaviour. The subsequent phase was to recreate a flight control firmware using Simulink with analysis and discuss the simulation results. The current phase is to integrate the wind correction model. With the new developed wind disturbance control, the model can be flown on course despite strong wind. This can be used for future research into tiltrotor initiatives or even use it to recreate a robust location correction in auto mode without the use of GPS localization.

Purpose – The presented paper aims to describe the general idea, simulations and prototyping process of an assisting flight control system (FCS) for light sport aircraft (LSA). The proposed FCS framework is intended to simplify piloting, reduce pilot workload, and improve system's reliability and handling qualities of manual flying. Design/methodology/approach – Assisting flight control strategy integrates mechanical and digital FCS into a synergic platform, combining the high reliability of mechanical controls with the computation and actuation power introduced through a single line digital FCS. Concepts drawn from classical control theory along with flight envelope protection algorithms have been used throughout the design of the flight control laws. A prototype of the assisting FCS has been subjected to validation trials during series of hardware-in-the-loop simulations. Findings – Despite controversies between the pilots' perception of a modern aircraft and limitations imposed by the legacy airworthiness codes, it has been shown that a pilot assisting and workload reducing control system can be successfully implemented on board of a LSA while satisfying the expectations on a state-of-the-art equipment meeting required level of safety defined by the current legislation. Research limitations/implications – A transition between specific flight modes as well as nonlinearities in the FCS may lead to unfavorable and unpredictable forms of aircraft-pilot interactions. The number of accessible flight control modes should be therefore limited to the most significant ones. Practical implications – Sport aircraft are mostly flown by a single pilot, who could benefit from the pilot assisting FCS as the system has the potential to supervise the aircraft's safe operation in various flight conditions. Originality/value – Introducing an assisting FCS on board of a LSA through an innovative approach which utilizes hidden and unused resources of modern digital automatic FCSs while respecting the limitations imposed through the weight and cost sensitive nature of the LSA market.

Not so long ago, research in flight control was largely an algorithmic endeavor???-???the objective was to devise higher performance control laws. Such research still continues, but an additional imperative is now prominent. For many new flight control developments, the challenge is not so much to come up with the control algorithm; the existing literature describes how to do that sufficiently well. The new challenges are cost-efficiency and development time reduction. This chapter revises some of the basic technology for flight control systems and discusses how computational tools are now being used to ensure that new control systems can be affordably developed and deployed. The target vehicles for the flight control technology described are military aircraft and missiles. There are notable differences between the two, such as the use of different sets of actuators (in missiles, for example, reaction jets can directly control roll, pitch, and yaw). Flight control system design requirements also differ fundamentally for aircraft and missiles,due to the presence of a pilot in the former. As a consequence, control techniques can differ. Dynamic inversion???-???a form of feedback linearization???-???is a popular technique for aircraft flight control, whereas linear quadratic optimal control is commonly used for missiles. In either case, complications arise due to the fact that accelerometers and gyros are not located at the center of gravity of the vehicle. In some cases, performance and stability can be improved by appropriately locating the sensors. Simulation and analysis software is now essential for flight control design. The chapter discusses tools within the MATRIXx toolset that permit performance and robustness evaluation over a range of operating conditions. Today's tools allow aerospace engineers to graphically design a flight control s ystem, analyze its performance and stability, and generate autocode that can be ported directly to training simulators, hardware in the loop simulators, and the aircraft itself. Similar tools are in use in other industries too-see Ch. 15 for an automotive industry perspective. Further discussion on computer aided control system design can also be found in Ch. 3 which also outlines a flight control application. What lies ahead for flight control? This chapter concludes by noting the interest in, and the challenges associated with, uninhabited aircraft. This topic is also discussed in Ch 10 where focus is on multi-vehicle aerospace challenges.

The task of increasing the accuracy and stabilization of the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the alpine environment is a complex problem. It is related to the evaluation of UAV flight parameters and control conditions for the operator’s place. The purpose of the UAV’s autonomous flight control is to ensure stable control of the UAV’s flight parameters. Flight control systems are affected by various disturbances caused by both internal and external conditions. In general, the number of autonomous control systems corresponds to the number of degrees of freedom, which determines the flight of an autonomous vehicle. An important factor in assessing the quality of such a UAV is its readiness for an autonomous flight together with the level of its safe guidance on the route. The presented article focuses on the analysis of UAV flight control and the quality of prediction and elimination of errors that exist during maneuvers toward the place of a successful UAV landing. The aim of the article is to point out the solvability of the complexities of such a flight procedure with the evaluation of the readiness for the descent phase of the autonomous UAV. The given problem is caused by the social demand for the creation of a way of providing health care in the mountain area of the High Tatras in Slovakia. The existing database of data obtained from the flying vehicles used in Slovakia was compared with the data obtained from the simulated flights, with their subsequent evaluation in the MATLAB software (Version R2021b) environment.

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have great potential to be used in a wide variety of civil applications such as environmental applications, emergency situations, surveillance tasks and more. The development of Flight Control Systems (FCS) coupled with the availability of other Commercial Off-The Shelf (COTS) components is enabling the introduction of UAS into the civil market. The sophistication of existing FCS is also making these systems accessible to end users with little aeronautics expertise. However, much work remains to be done to deliver systems that can be properly integrated in standard aeronautical procedures used by manned aviation. In previous research advances have been proposed in the flight plan capabilities by offering semantically much richer constructs than those present in most current UAS autopilots. The introduced flight plan is organized as a set of stages, each one corresponding to a different flight phase. Each stage contains a structured collection of legs inspired by current practices in Area Navigation (RNAV). However, the most critical parts of any flight, the depart and approach operations in an integrated airspace remain mostly unexplored. This paper introduces an assessment of both operations for UAS operating in VFR and IFR modes. Problems and potential solutions are proposed, as well as an automating strategy that should greatly reduce pilot workload. Although the

This book provides information covering the fundamentals of control theory and optimization applied to real-world flight control systems. Covers the following topics: the challenges inherent in flight control system design; an overview of their core approach to flight control system design utilizing multiobjective parametric optimization; the specific software developed called Control Designer’s Unified Interface (CONDUIT); detailed explanations of the tools, plots, language, and four key components involved in defining the problem using CONDUIT; the XV-15 hover/forward flight case study is discussed in sufficient detail for even seasoned veterans to find the presentation informative and useful. Here the authors have done an excellent job of demonstrating many flight control concepts; proprietary specifications; methodologies for developing simulation models of model-based flight control system designs; design of flight control systems; the inner workings of the design optimization approach. The coverage includes specifics of various algorithms, along with their relative advantages and disadvantages. This chapter also provides insights into sequential loop closure strategies, with emphasis on their effectiveness and practical use; nested versus simultaneous multiloop strategies; and design considerations for real-world applications. This book serves as an excellent reference for senior undergraduate and/or graduate students, and it provides a wellbalanced perspective covering the theory, implementation, and practical applications of flight control design.

Research on a Safety-Critical Architecture of Large Commercial Aircraft Fly-by-Wire Flight Control System

This paper studies the feasibility of applying the stochastic gain tuning method to the flight control system design of space vehicles. Stochastic gain tuning is a form of parameter optimization by which. the probability of the flight control system’s total mission achievement is maximized. This probability is estimated by applying the Monte Carlo method to the results of a large number of simulated flights. The flight simulation model contains various types of uncertain parameter, the stochastic properties of which are defined a priori. The flight control system requirements are defined based on the flight simulation results, and an optimization algorithm called the mean tracking technique is used to tune the feedback/feedforward gains of the flight control laws, which maximizes the probability of mission achievement. Although stochastic gain tuning requires large computational resources, the recent advent of low-cost, high-performance computers means that it has become feasible and practicable if efficient computational algorithms are employed. This paper demonstrates its feasibility by applying it to the designof the flight control system of a re-entry space vehicle, a low-speed sub-scaled model of which was flight tested in 1996.

The wing on the NASA F-111 transonic aircraft technology airplane was modified to provide flexible leading and trailing edge flaps. This wing is known as the mission adaptive wing (MAW) because aerodynamic efficiency can be maintained at all speeds. Unlike a conventional wing, the MAW has no spoilers, external flap hinges, or fairings to break the smooth contour. The leading edge flaps and three-segment trailing edge flaps are controlled by a redundant fly-by-wire control system that features a dual digital primary system architecture providing roll and symmetric commands to the MAW control surfaces. A segregated analog backup system is provided in the event of a primary system failure. This paper discusses the design, development, testing, qualification, and flight test experience of the MAW primary and backup flight control systems.

Aircraft maintenance is one of the most important cost items faced by the operators of air fleets and is a major contributor to the aircraft life cycle cost. An aircraft fly-by-wire flight control system has a total of primary flight control actuators ranging from 10 to 20 depending on the aircraft type, with a failure rate of 1/1000 flight-hours; therefore, a health monitoring system for primary flight control actuators, able to recognize an actuator degradation in its early stage could greatly contribute to optimize the maintenance operations, reduce the airplane downtime and prevent missions interruptions.This note presents the initial part of an ongoing research project aimed at developing a prognostic and health management system for fly-by-wire primary flight control actuators. A key feature of the project is to develop a PHM system for these actuators suitable for the flight control actuators of legacy airplanes, which are poised to operate for still a long time, and not only for those of new aircraft. The primary flight control actuators of fly-by-wire flight control systems of existing aircraft are electrohydraulic servoactuators with a typical configuration and complement of transducers, and there is no practical possibility of introducing additional sensors. For this reason, the research activity was directed towards the study of algorithms able to identify faults only by using the already available information of the servoactuators state variables.The implemented algorithms are a combination of mathematical and neural network based ones, and the identification of degradations was performed by the analysis of the response of the servoactuators to a sequence of selected stimuli provided in preflight or postflight. The servovalve current and the feedback position are processed by dedicated algorithms in order to obtain significant indicators of the servocatuator health condition. The values of the indicators obtained during the sequence of stimuli are analyzed in combination with those obtained in the past.This is performed by the neural network part of the algorithm which allows a reliable identification of presence and of type of a degradation.The results obtained from the initial part of the research activity are interesting and encouraging. Individual degradations of the servoactuator parameters have so far been addressed and the algorithms for identifying them have been developed. All that makes up the foundations of the future research activity which will be focused on analyzing the effects of simultaneous multiple degradations and to the estimation of the remaining useful life.

The increasing usage of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in diverse applications necessitates the development of effective flight control systems. A major difficulty, nevertheless, is maintaining robust flight control under complex and dynamic environmental conditions, such as obstacle and non-flying zones, wind disturbances, and sensor noise. Traditional control techniques fail to achieve required flight control in these environments. To address this point, an adaptive control strategy is proposed based on a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) model to enhance the flight performance of quadcopters. The learning and adaptation of the DRL-based control strategy are implemented in real-time through continuous interaction with the environment. This is to improve flight control and achieve consistent UAV performance under varying conditions. Proximal policy optimization with a reward function is used to minimize positional errors, ensure collision-free flight paths, and reduce energy consumption. The developed DRL model for quadcopters is trained in a simulated environment and then tested in three complex environmental scenarios, including urban, forest and mountain terrains. Experimental results demonstrate remarkable improvements in UAV flight performance. In the training phase, the reported training reward increased from 10 to 110 and the train loss is dropped from 0.85 to 0.05, which indicated successful model learning. Also, during system verification, rewards increased from 12 to 115 and UAV flight path deviations were decreased from 0.5 to 0.08m. The proposed controller outperforms conventional approaches in urban environments by lowering average trajectory deviations to 0.2m from 0.35m for MPC and 0.6m for PID. Also, the developed DRL-based controller outperformed the PID and MPC controllers, with path deviations of 0.18m in mountains and 0.12m in forests. In addition, fewer collision rates with obstacles are achieved with the model, 3% in forest, 1.8% in urban areas, and 4.5% in mountains. Furthermore, the consumed energy is reduced to 950J as compared to 1200J for PID and 1050J for MPC. The results show the strength of deploying the proposed controller in following the intended UAV flight path with high precision, effectively avoiding detected conflicts and minimizing consumed energy by the UAV.

For its obvious high accuracy in a long term, rotary inertial navigation system becomes popular. However, as errors increasing with time are changed into periodic errors with zero mean, the accuracy of its azimuth angle decreases in view of short term and can’t fully satisfy the need of users such as flight control system. The precision of azimuth angle is studied by analyzing its influence factor and establishing the scale factor error model and drift models of fiber optic gyro and the measurement error model of photoelectric encoder. Correction for fiber optic gyro and photoelectric encoder based on their mutual assistance is designed to improve the short-term accuracy of rotary inertial navigation system’s azimuth angle. Experimental results in a fiber optic gyro based rotary inertial navigation system verify the proposed method.

IntroductionFollowing the new world order propagated by the US government, economies of the world had taken a new dimension that now adopt the philosophy of Western economists situated in globalisation. Globalisation is a paradigm shiftfrom autarchy to trade liberalisation which encourages nation-states to open their borders from the obstacles and hindrances that hitherto prevented movements of goods, services and peoples into their territories. Thus, globalisation 'summaries a number of international features of the world economy; rapid advances in communication and transportation technology, expanding geographical scope for business activities of private corporation and financial institution, the integration of markets across national borders, and higher degree of uniformity in policy and institutional environments that set the rules of the game for economic actions and interactions on the part of private agents based in various countries (Court and Yamagihara, 1998, cited in Alimi and Atanda, 2011, 345).While this indeed is a paradigm shift, it denied the developing selfdevelopment, self-reliance, self-growth, self-independence and self-absolutism eroding the powers, initiatives, autonomous and autochthonous for growth and development. For decades now globalisation and its branches like privatisation, commercialisation, deregulation and trade liberalisation have become global philosophy and currency that virtually all use to run their economies. No thanks for the fall of Berlin Wall in 1989.Developed economies have imbedded the philosophy of globalisation, the developing are not leftout, from Asia to Africa and to Latin America are scrambling for globalisation since global financial institutions such as World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Trade Organisation (WTO) tied their supportive measures to this currency. Globalisation has encouraged 'international mobility of capital, result from advances in communications technology and liberalisation of financial markets has intensified as the world economy witnesses the unleashing of market forces' (Onwuka and Eguavoen, 2007, 45).Therefore, globalisation encourages the deregulation of domestic markets across the board in the name of privatisation and commercialisation of governmental owned enterprises. The spirit of globalisation is toward trade liberalisation of the world and domestic economies across the board encouraging foreign experts to invest domestically in economies of less developing countries. Thus, globalisation is about bringing: financial capital, investments, experts, technical know-how, technology, markets, services and goods into the less advanced with aim to ensure that these imbibe or accept in totality foreign goods and services, while at the same time discouraging local productions, local experts, local industries and other services as incapable of being produced by the host or peripheral countries.However, the politics of globalisation has two dimensions within one world. The trade debate between the North and South (Adeniran, 1983) produced different views for the one world. Adeniran commented that Bretton Woods system was created to ensure 'monetary stability and economic expansion of the North-the North in this context implying the industrially more developed areas of the world, to the disadvantage of the South which comprises of the nations from the Third World' (1983, 154). Thus, globalisation has continued to create asymmetrical relationship between the North and South. For instance, the North as a result of advancement and quantum resources dictated economic and developmental strategies for the South. Such strategies included: good governance, democracy, accountability, transparency, Structural Adjustment Programme which had severe consequences on some in the South. According to Blake and Walters 'the benefits of such international economic relations between rich and poor states are distributed asymmetrically in favour of the rich. …