Abstract
The paper shows the design of a control augmentation system to transform helicopters into Personal Aerial Vehicles, accounting for handling qualities and actuator constraints. In this paper, PAVs are conceived as augmented rotorcraft that can be safely flown by minimal-trained pilots with a training comparable in length to that necessary to learn how to drive a car. The goal of the paper is to evaluate if existing actuators allow current helicopters to achieve PAV's characteristics without incurring into prolonged rate or position saturation due to abrupt or large control inputs given by minimal-expert pilots. The goal is achieved in two steps: in the first step, a model-following control approach is implemented to follow PAV's reference dynamics used as command models. The controller is designed and tested by considering the state-space model of a Sikorsky UH-60 and by including actuator dynamics. An optimization routine is created to achieve a trade-off between handling qualities, disturbance rejection properties and stability margins. In the second step, pilot in-the-loop simulations are conducted with one expert and one non-expert pilot to evaluate the feasibility of the controller implemented in the first step. Results show that PAV requirements can be achieved with the available technology but the current helicopter handling qualities requirements should be relaxed in order to reduce the risk for actuators saturation, especially in presence of disturbances.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Annual Forum Proceedings - AHS International |
| Volume | 2018-May |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 Jan 1 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | 74th American Helicopter Society International Annual Forum and Technology Display 2018: The Future of Vertical Flight - Phoenix, United States Duration: 2018 May 14 → 2018 May 17 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Engineering(all)
Cite this
Model-following control and actuators limits analysis to transform helicopters into personal aerial vehicles. / Gerboni, Carlo A.; Geluardi, Stefano; Fichter, Walter; Bulthoff, Heinrich.
In: Annual Forum Proceedings - AHS International, Vol. 2018-May, 01.01.2018.Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Model-following control and actuators limits analysis to transform helicopters into personal aerial vehicles
AU - Gerboni, Carlo A.
AU - Geluardi, Stefano
AU - Fichter, Walter
AU - Bulthoff, Heinrich
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - The paper shows the design of a control augmentation system to transform helicopters into Personal Aerial Vehicles, accounting for handling qualities and actuator constraints. In this paper, PAVs are conceived as augmented rotorcraft that can be safely flown by minimal-trained pilots with a training comparable in length to that necessary to learn how to drive a car. The goal of the paper is to evaluate if existing actuators allow current helicopters to achieve PAV's characteristics without incurring into prolonged rate or position saturation due to abrupt or large control inputs given by minimal-expert pilots. The goal is achieved in two steps: in the first step, a model-following control approach is implemented to follow PAV's reference dynamics used as command models. The controller is designed and tested by considering the state-space model of a Sikorsky UH-60 and by including actuator dynamics. An optimization routine is created to achieve a trade-off between handling qualities, disturbance rejection properties and stability margins. In the second step, pilot in-the-loop simulations are conducted with one expert and one non-expert pilot to evaluate the feasibility of the controller implemented in the first step. Results show that PAV requirements can be achieved with the available technology but the current helicopter handling qualities requirements should be relaxed in order to reduce the risk for actuators saturation, especially in presence of disturbances.
AB - The paper shows the design of a control augmentation system to transform helicopters into Personal Aerial Vehicles, accounting for handling qualities and actuator constraints. In this paper, PAVs are conceived as augmented rotorcraft that can be safely flown by minimal-trained pilots with a training comparable in length to that necessary to learn how to drive a car. The goal of the paper is to evaluate if existing actuators allow current helicopters to achieve PAV's characteristics without incurring into prolonged rate or position saturation due to abrupt or large control inputs given by minimal-expert pilots. The goal is achieved in two steps: in the first step, a model-following control approach is implemented to follow PAV's reference dynamics used as command models. The controller is designed and tested by considering the state-space model of a Sikorsky UH-60 and by including actuator dynamics. An optimization routine is created to achieve a trade-off between handling qualities, disturbance rejection properties and stability margins. In the second step, pilot in-the-loop simulations are conducted with one expert and one non-expert pilot to evaluate the feasibility of the controller implemented in the first step. Results show that PAV requirements can be achieved with the available technology but the current helicopter handling qualities requirements should be relaxed in order to reduce the risk for actuators saturation, especially in presence of disturbances.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85054496430&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference article
AN - SCOPUS:85054496430
VL - 2018-May
JO - Annual Forum Proceedings - AHS International
JF - Annual Forum Proceedings - AHS International
SN - 1552-2938
ER -