A Flight Test Maneuver Autopilot For a Highly Maneuverable Aircraft

Roncoli, Ralph B. (1982) A Flight Test Maneuver Autopilot For a Highly Maneuverable Aircraft. Technical Report NASA TM-81372, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

A flight test maneuver autopilot (FTMAP) is currently being flown at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility to increase the quality and quantity of the data obtained in the flight testing of the highly maneuverable aircraft technology (HiMAT) remotely piloted research vehicle (RPRV). The FTMAP resides in a ground-based digital computer and was designed to perform certain prescribed maneuvers precisely, while maintaining critical flight parameters within close tolerances. The RTMAP operates as a non-flight-critical outer loop controller and augments the vehicle primary flight control system. The inputs to the FTMAP consist of telemetry-downlinked aircraft sensor data. During FTMAP operation, the FTMAP computer replaces normal pilot inputs to the aircraft stick and throttle positions. The FTMAP maneuvers include straight-and-level flight, level accelerations and decelerations, pushover pullups, and windup turns. The pushover pullups can be executed holding throttle or Mach number fixed. The windup turns can be commanded by either normal acceleration or angle of attack. The design specifications require the FTMAP to perform within very demanding tolerances: plus or minus 5 degrees angle of attack or plus or minus 0.5g normal acceleration, plus or minus 0.01 Mach, and plus or minus 500 feet in altitude. Simulation results have shown that the FTMAP can operate quite successfully thorughout the flight envelope of the HiMAT vehicle. The operational procedures, control mode configuration, and initial simulation results are discussed in this report.

EPrint Type:	NASA Technical Memorandum
Keywords:	Maneuver autopilot, HiMAT autopilot, Flight test, Guidance and control
Subjects:	Aircraft/Project: RPRV Aircraft/Project: HiMAT (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (08) Aircraft Stability And Control
ID Code:	605
Deposited On:	03 Febuary 2006
Additional Information:	27 pages. This paper was presented orally at the AIAA Region VI 32nd Annual Student Conference held at the University of California, Irvine, April 28-May 1, 1982.