Author: B. H. Mayhew

Publisher:

Published: 1984

Total Pages: 261

ISBN-13:

This thesis investigates the application of multivariable design techniques developed by Professor Brian Porter of the University of Salford, England to design digital control laws for the UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter. In the study, designs were developed for five longitudinally and laterally, strongly coupled plants with control inputs of cyclic roll control, cyclic pitch control, collective lift control, and tail rotor yaw control. An improved computer-aided design packaged called 'MULTI' was used in refining the control laws. Separate controllers were developed to perform three flight maneuvers. The maneuvers performed were a coordinated turn, a yaw rate response, and a vertical rate response. Since each maneuver is flown at a different airspeed, a uniquely specified linearized plant model was required. The methods employed to obtain a design are presented along with the evaluations of the final control laws. After successful designs of the individual control laws for the three maneuvers were developed, tests were performed to find a single controller to perform each maneuver for its applicable flight conditions. Finally, the evaluation of the robustness of the single controllers is presented. (Author).