The subject of automatic formation flight control is of current interest to the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Previous control approaches have been refined in this work to allow more robust maneuvering and to include a fourth control parameter. The equations of motion for each aircraft as a point mass, expressed in a wind-axis coordinate system, are coupled into differential equations that model the two aircraft system dynamics. Control laws are developed that include proportional and integral action. Gains are determined based on formation performance. Lead maneuvers are simulated and the controller is gauged on its ability to maintain the commanded formations in and out of the vortex wake generated by the lead aircraft. A Dryden wind model at varying intensities is applied to the system. In simulation the controller maintained acceptable performance in all maneuvers tested. A slightly modified controller was applied to a USAF NF-16D aircraft for flight testing. Utilizing a data link system and a virtual lead aircraft generated from a ground based control station, the NF-16D was able to flight test the controller. In-flight, the controller was stable, and able to perform all of the desired formation hold and change maneuvers.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Full Capability Formation Flight Control


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2005


    Size :

    204 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Full Capability Formation Flight Control

    Osteroos, Ryan / Pachter, Meir / Jacques, David | AIAA | 2004


    AIAA-2004-5333 Full Capability Formation Flight Control

    Osteroos, R. / Pachter, M. / Jacques, D. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2004


    FULL-LENGTH PAPERS - Tight Formation Flight Control

    Pachter, M. | Online Contents | 2001


    Future Flight Control Capability Development

    Flinn, E. H. | SAE Technical Papers | 1983


    GROUND VEHICLE WITH FLIGHT CAPABILITY

    NOLAN ROBERT | European Patent Office | 2015

    Free access