A Real Time Expert Control System for Helicopter Autorotation

A Real Time Expert Control System for Helicopter Autorotation

Author: Zachary Nolan Sunberg

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 64

ISBN-13:

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Autorotation maneuvers are required to perform a safe landing of a helicopter in cases of engine loss in a single engine vehicle and transmission or tail rotor malfunction. The rise of autonomous helicopter technology, and the pilot skill required to manually perform an autorotation, motivate the need for new autonomous autorotation control laws. Previous approaches to automatic control for this maneuver have relied on control law optimization based on a high-fidelity model of the helicopter, or have attempted to match recorded trajectories flown by an expert human pilot. In this paper, a new expert control system is proposed. The term "expert control system" is used because the system is intended to mimic the actions that a human pilot might take, does not require any iterative learning, model prediction, or optimization at runtime, and is based on an inference system that involves fuzzy logic, PID, and other conventional control techniques. The multi-stage control law drives the helicopter to a near-optimal steady-state descent and uses an estimate of the time to impact to safely flare and land the helicopter in the vast majority of flight conditions. The control law is validated using a full 6-degree-of-freedom simulation of both a full-size attack helicopter and a small hobby-class helicopter. The proposed control design is highly flexible and may be used to perform fully autonomous autorotation or to provide guidance to pilots during manual autorotation maneuvers. The electronic version of this dissertation is accessible from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149553


LIttle Book of Autorotations (print)

LIttle Book of Autorotations (print)

Author: Shawn Coyle

Publisher:

Published: 2013-02-26

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780979263842

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The first book to cover exclusively landing a helicopter without engine power. From basics to advanced techniques, for beginner to flight instructor. Covers why not to practice engine-off landings on grass.


Flight Performance of Fixed and Rotary Wing Aircraft

Flight Performance of Fixed and Rotary Wing Aircraft

Author: Antonio Filippone

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2006-05-10

Total Pages: 594

ISBN-13: 0080461034

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Calculation and optimisation of flight performance is required to design or select new aircraft, efficiently operate existing aircraft, and upgrade aircraft. It provides critical data for aircraft certification, accident investigation, fleet management, flight regulations and safety. This book presents an unrivalled range of advanced flight performance models for both transport and military aircraft, including the unconventional ends of the envelopes. Topics covered include the numerical solution of supersonic acceleration, transient roll, optimal climb of propeller aircraft, propeller performance, long-range flight with en-route stop, fuel planning, zero-gravity flight in the atmosphere, VSTOL operations, ski jump from aircraft carrier, optimal flight paths at subsonic and supersonic speed, range-payload analysis of fixed- and rotary wing aircraft, performance of tandem helicopters, lower-bound noise estimation, sonic boom, and more.This book will be a valuable text for undergraduate and post-graduate level students of aerospace engineering. It will also be an essential reference and resource for practicing aircraft engineers, aircraft operations managers and organizations handling air traffic control, flight and flying regulations, standards, safety, environment, and the complex financial aspects of flying aircraft. Unique coverage of fixed and rotary wing aircraft in a unified manner, including optimisation, emissions control and regulation. Ideal for students, aeronautical engineering capstone projects, and for widespread professional reference in the aerospace industry. Comprehensive coverage of computer-based solution of aerospace engineering problems; the critical analysis of performance data; and case studies from real world engineering experience. Supported by end of chapter exercises


Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1986

Total Pages: 960

ISBN-13:

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Lists citations with abstracts for aerospace related reports obtained from world wide sources and announces documents that have recently been entered into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Database.


Helicopter Optimal Descent and Landing After Power Loss

Helicopter Optimal Descent and Landing After Power Loss

Author: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2018-08-09

Total Pages: 34

ISBN-13: 9781724982117

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An optimal control solution is obtained for the descent and landing of a helicopter after the loss of power in level flight. The model considers the helicopter vertical velocity, horizontal velocity, and rotor speed; and it includes representations of ground effect, rotor inflow time lag, pilot reaction time, rotor stall, and the induced velocity curve in the vortex ring state. The control (rotor thrust magnitude and direction) required to minimize the vertical and horizontal velocity at contact with the ground is obtained using nonlinear optimal control theory. It is found that the optimal descent after power loss in hover is a purely vertical flight path. Good correlation, even quantitatively, is found between the calculations and (non-optimal) flight test results. Johnson, W. Ames Research Center NASA-TM-X-73244, A-7047 RTOP 505-10-22...