| Development of a Novel, Two-Processor Architecture for a Small UAV Autopilot System, |
26 JUL 2006 |
47 pages |
| Authors:
Robert Klenke; VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIV RICHMOND SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
|
 | The potential uses for small UAVs are quite varied and include such applications as targeting and even small weapons delivery to sensing, surveying, and search and rescue. This class of UAVs typically have a gross weight of less than 100 lbs and their limited payload capacity, interior volume, and power supply, place significant constraints on on-board systems, including the autopilot system used to control them. On the other hand, the ... |
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| Characterization of UAV Performance and Development of a Formation Flight Controller for Multiple Small UAVS |
JUN 2006 |
164 pages |
| Authors:
Patrick A. McCarthy; AIR FORCE INST OF TECHNOLOGY WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
|
| The Air Force Institute of Technology's (AFIT) Advanced Navigation Technology (ANT) Center has recently delved into the research topic of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). One area of particular interest is using multiple small UAVs cooperatively to improve mission efficiency, as well as perform missions that couldn't be performed using vehicles independently. However, many of these missions require that the UAVs operate in close proximity of each other. This research ... |
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| Optimal Guidance Command Generation and Tracking for Reusable Launch Vehicle Reentry (Preprint) |
JUN 2006 |
26 pages |
| Authors:
Kevin P. Bollino; Michael W. Oppenheimer; David B. Doman; NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA DEPT OF MECHANICAL AND ASTRONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
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| The objective of this work is to develop a robust guidance and control architecture for autonomous reusable launch vehicles that incorporates elements of recent advances in the areas of optimal trajectory generation and reconfigurable control. This work integrates three separately developed methods to form a coherent architecture with the potential to manage control effector failures, vehicle structural/aerodynamic degradation, uncertainty, and external disturbances. Outer-loop guidance commands in the form of body-frame ... |
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| Management of Test Complexity for Emerging Safety Critical Control Systems Program |
26 MAY 2006 |
62 pages |
| Authors:
Dale W. Boren; LOCKHEED MARTIN AERONAUTICS CO FORT WORTH TX
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| Future safety-critical flight control systems will contain sophisticated software algorithms with advanced functionality to enable autonomous operations. However, significant increases in complexity and volume of critical functions will excessively challenge current Verification and Validation (V&V) practices. Therefore, reducing and/or managing the complexity of systems has a major impact upon the cost and schedule of development, verification and maintenance of current and future safety-critical flight control systems. The current research first ... |
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| Optimal Controller for Turbulent Flow Over an Airfoil |
17 MAY 2006 |
108 pages |
| Authors:
John Kim; CALIFORNIA UNIV REGENTS LOS ANGELES
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| The objectives of this project are twofold: to develop a detached-eddy simulation (DES) technique for turbulent flows past an airfoil at a high angle of attack, and to explore new control strategies for the separated flow, utilizing modern control theories. A system identification approach is used to construct an approximate linear system model for complex flows. The linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control synthesis is then used to design optimal controllers ... |
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| Combined Singularity Avoidance for Variable Speed Control Moment Gyroscope Clusters |
18 APR 2006 |
16 pages |
| Authors:
David J. Richie; Vaios J. Lappas; Sajjad Asghar; Phil L. Palmer; SURREY UNIV GUILDFORD (UNITED KINGDOM)
|
| Variable Speed Control Moment Gyroscopes (VSCMGs), defined by Schaub in [1], effectively applied to combined energy storage and attitude control in [2,3], and further studied by Yoon and Tsiotras in [4,5], can avoid attitude singularities by varying wheel speed. However, this device's key advantage lies in torque amplification via gimballing (i.e. operating in its CMG mode). The primary limitation of this CMG mode, though, is the existence of gimbal-lock singularity ... |
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| Human Factors Implications of Unmanned Aircraft Accidents: Flight-Control Problems |
APR 2006 |
9 pages |
| Authors:
Kevin W. Williams; FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OKLAHOMA CITY OK CIVIL AEROMEDICAL INST
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| This research focuses on three types of flight control problems associated with unmanned aircraft systems. The three flight control problems are: 1) external pilot difficulties with inconsistent mapping of the controls to the movement of the aircraft; 2) difficulties associated with the transfer of control from one control location to another during the flight; and 3) problems associated the automation of flight control. Specific accidents associated with each type of ... |
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| Control Allocation for Overactuated Systems |
APR 2006 |
9 pages |
| Authors:
Michael W. Oppenheimer; David B. Doman; AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH AIR VEHICLES DIRECTORATE
|
| Much emphasis has been placed on overactuated systems for air vehicles. Overactuating an air vehicle provides a certain amount of redundancy for the flight control system, thus potentially allowing for recovery from off-nominal conditions. Due to this redundancy, control allocation algorithms are typically utilized to compute a unique solution to the overactuated problem. Control allocators compute the commands that are applied to the actuators so that a certain set of ... |
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| Formation Flight Control for Aerial Refueling |
MAR 2006 |
280 pages |
| Authors:
Steven M. Ross; AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
|
| A controller is designed for an aircraft to autonomously fly formation during aerial refueling. Requirements for a refueling autopilot are stated. A six-degree-of-freedom model is developed for an F-16 lead aircraft and a Learjet LJ-25 wing aircraft. Bare airframe stability of both aircraft is investigated, and stability augmentation is performed. A Matlab Simulink (trademark) simulation is built to reproduce the sensor inputs that will be available to the wing aircraft ... |
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| Characterizing and Controlling the Effects of Differential Drag on Satellite Formations |
MAR 2006 |
127 pages |
| Authors:
James T. Wedekind; AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
|
| The ability to fly satellites in close formations represents a capability that could revolutionize the way satellite missions are designed in the future. This study examines three of the primary formation flying designs and characterizes the effects that an anomalous satellite with a slightly different cross-sectional area would have on the stability of the formation. Following the characterization of these effects, a controller is implemented to mitigate the cross-sectional area ... |
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| Acquisition Management: Source Selection Procedures for the C-5 Avionics Modernization Program |
28 FEB 2006 |
27 pages |
| Authors:
Paul J. Granetto; Douglas P. Neville; Amy L. Mathews; Lashonda M. Thompson; Michael T. Burger; Lamar Anderson; Michael T. Hepler; Karen M. Borrero; Erin S. Hart; OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR AUDITING OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ARLINGTON VA
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| Civilians and uniformed officers who are involved in the Air Force acquisition decision-making process should read this report because it identifies issues related to the source selection procedures used by the Air Force in the acquisition of the C-5 Avionics Modernization Program. In November 2004, the Acting Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) commissioned a study to review acquisition-related actions taken by the former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary ... |
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| Optimal Guidance Command Generation and Tracking for the Reentry of a Reusable Launch Vehicle (PREPRINT) |
JAN 2006 |
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| Authors:
Michael W. Oppenheimer; David D. Doman; Kevin P. Bollino; AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB (AFRL/VACA) WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH CONTROL THEORY OPTIMIZATION BRANCH
|
 | In this work, optimal outer-loop guidance commands are generated from an off-line reference trajectory and then tracked by a reconfigurable inner-loop control law. The primary motivation for this work is a "stepping-stone" towards online, optimal trajectory generation, footprint determination, and retargeting capabilities in the presence of control effector failures or vehicle structural/ aerodynamic degradation, uncertainty, and external disturbances. The presented guidance and control architecture uses a 6-degree-of-freedom simulation and an ... |
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| Vision-Based UAV Flight Control and Obstacle Avoidance |
JAN 2006 |
12 pages |
| Authors:
Zhihai He; AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH AIR VEHICLES DIRECTORATE
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| In this work, we explore various ideas and approaches to deal with the inherent uncertainty and image noise in motion analysis, and develop a low-complexity, accurate and reliable scheme to estimate the motion fields from UAV navigation videos. The motion field information allows us to accurately estimate ego-motion parameters of the UAV and refine (or correct) the motion measurements from other sensors. Based on the motion field information, we also ... |
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| Aviation Safety in the Rapid Onset, High-G Environment |
JAN 2006 |
19 pages |
| Authors:
Paul Werchen; Robert O'Connor; William Albery; Leah Makley; AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH HUMAN EFFECTIVENESS DIRECTORATE
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| This is a summary of research conducted on the high-G onset Air Force Research Laboratory centrifuge at Brooks City-Base TX. G-LOC and A-LOC research on the centrifuge is summarized. It was found that the G-LOC episode lasts longer than the nominal 24 sec previously described. It was found that pilot performance can be impaired up to EO sec after a G-LOC. No adverse effect of sustained acceleration was observed in ... |
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| A User's Guide to the Technical Training Schoolhouse Model |
Jan-2006 |
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| Authors:
Thomas Manacapilli; Bart Bennett; RAND CORP SANTA MONICA CA
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| Prior RAND research on AETC's management of enlisted training identified a lack of analytic tools to assess changes in the pipeline. That study recommended the development of two models. First, AETC needs a model of an actual schoolhouse system. Second, AETC needs a model of the entire training pipeline, from recruiting to on-the-job training at the operational units. The schoolhouse model grew out of the first recommendation. This document is ... |
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| Adaptive Backstepping With Magnitude, Rate, and Bandwidth Constraints: Aircraft Longitude Control |
2006 |
8 pages |
| Authors:
Jay Farrell; Marios Polycarpou; Manu Sharma; CALIFORNIA UNIV RIVERSIDE DEPT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
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| This article presents an adaptive backstepping approach to the longitudinal (gamma;alpha;Q) control of an aircraft that directly accommodates magnitude, rate, and bandwidth constraints on the aircraft states and the actuator signals. The article includes design of the control law, Lyapunov analysis of the stability properties of the closed loop system, and simulation based analysis of the performance. |
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| Validation of the USNTPS Simulator for the Advanced Flight Controls Design Exercise |
01 DEC 2005 |
73 pages |
| Authors:
Sr Jurta Daniel S.; NAVAL TEST PILOT SCHOOL PATUXENT RIVER MD
|
| This thesis explores the fidelity of the ground based simulator used at USNTPS during the Advanced Flight Controls Design exercise. A Simulink model is developed as a test platform and used to compare the longitudinal flight characteristics of the simulator. The model is also compared to the same characteristics of a Learjet in the approach configuration. The Simulink model is modified with the aim of yielding a better training aid ... |
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| Design and Fabrication of a Planar Autonomous Spacecraft Simulator With Docking and Fluid Transfer Capability |
DEC 2005 |
71 pages |
| Authors:
Tracy Shay; NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA
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| The objective of this thesis is to describe the concept development, design, system integration, and operating procedures for the AUDASS II vehicle (Autonomous Docking and Spacecraft Servicing Simulator). The AUDASS II is an improved follow on design of AUDASS I, developed in September of 2002. The purpose of AUDASS II is to simulate a chaser spacecraft autonomously rendezvousing and docking with a target spacecraft for the purpose of conducting fluid ... |
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| From Fly Models to Flight Control |
DEC 2005 |
9 pages |
| Authors:
Michael H. Dickinson; CALIFORNIA INST OF TECH PASADENA
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| In the research covered in this project, we integrated findings from biology to create a bottom-up model of the visual, mechanical, and aerodynamics systems the fruit fly to investigate the above general questions. Couched in the language of control systems, the model allows us to make detailed predictions about fly behavior under a given set of assumptions. Thus, we can simultaneously investigate, on the one hand, the actual strategies employed ... |
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| Comparison of a Typical Electronic Attitude-Direction Indicator with Terrain-Depicting Primary Flight Displays, for Performing Recoveries from Unknown Attitudes: Using Difference and Equivalence Tests |
DEC 2005 |
12 pages |
| Authors:
Dennis B. Beringer; Jerry D. Ball; Kelly Brennan; Sitafa Taite; FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OKLAHOMA CITY OK CIVIL AEROMEDICAL INST
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| A study was conducted to determine if primary flight displays (PFDs) depicting terrain could be used with a level of safety equivalent to electronic attitude-direction indicators (EADIs) without terrain. Five groups of 8 pilots each flew scenarios in a flight simulator using one of three PFDs (EADI, full-color terrain, uniformly brown terrain) with or without guidance cues. Performances of recoveries from unknown attitudes using the EADI were measured first as ... |
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| Prediction of Swerving Motion of a Dual-Spin Projectile with Lateral Pulsejets in Atmospheric Flight |
NOV 2005 |
30 pages |
| Authors:
Bradley Burchett; Allen Peterson; Mark Costello; OREGON STATE UNIV CORVALLIS
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| Using the linear theory for a dual-spin projectile in atmospheric flight closed form expressions were obtained for swerving motion under the action of lateral pulsejets. Trajectory results generated by the linear theory equations and a fully nonlinear seven degree-of-freedom dual-spin projectile model agreed favorably. The analytic solution provided a relatively straight forward and computationally efficient means of trajectory estimation which is useful within smart weapon flight control systems. In order ... |
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| Validation, Verification and Certification of Embedded Systems |
OCT 2005 |
|
| Authors:
NATO RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZATION NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE (FRANCE)
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| This report is the final report resulting from the deliberations of the NATO Research Task Group on the Validation, Verification and Certification of Embedded Systems (IST-027/RTG-009). The report discusses the important role of embedded systems in both the civil and military contexts. Given the importance, the validation, verification and certification (VV&C) of such systems are of increasing concern. The report discusses the current landscape of VV&C, expected evolution, and also ... |
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| Fast Prediction of Wing Rock Onset Based on Computational Fluid Dynamics |
14 SEP 2005 |
40 pages |
| Authors:
Ken Badcock; GLASGOW UNIV (UNITED KINGDOM)
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| This report results from a contract tasking University of Glasgow as follows: The objective is to develop efficient CFD based techniques for the prediction of wing rock instabilities for a delta wing-body. Two approaches in addition to the basic time marching approach will be investigated. First direct calculation of the Hopf point for the onset of the instability (for a fixed sweep angle the incidence is regarded as the bifurcation ... |
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| Reduced Order Adaptive Controllers for Distributed Parameter Systems |
SEP 2005 |
7 pages |
| Authors:
Naira Hovakimyan; VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND STATE UNIV BLACKSBURG DEPT OF AEROSPACE AND OCEAN ENGINEERING
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| Our research is primarily focused on the development, analysis and verification of robust adaptive control algorithms for nonaffine-in-control nonlinear systems. In particular, we are interested in the development of methodologies that operate in the presence of sensor noise and provide robustness to modelling and environmental uncertainties, such as a battle damage or a control surface malfunction. Of special interest are design methods that would enable control of distributed parameter systems ... |
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| Spatial Orientation Retention Device - Current Status |
SEP 2005 |
10 pages |
| Authors:
William B. Albery; AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH HUMAN EFFECTIVENESS DIRECTORATE
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| A multi-sensory aircraft attitude tool is described that will allow the pilot to canalize his/her attention and perform out-the-cockpit visual tasks without having to continuously bring his/her vision back into the cockpit to monitor aircraft attitude instruments. Aircraft attitude information currently displayed on head-down displays (HDD) and head-up displays (HUD) is supplemented by tactile cues, audio cues, and helmet-mounted symbology that reinforce attitude information about the state of the aircraft ... |
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| Neural Network Based Adaptive Flow Control for Maneuvering Vehicles |
SEP 2005 |
34 pages |
| Authors:
J. E. Corban; An Glezer; Anthony Calise; GUIDED SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES MCDONOUGH GA
|
| This report documents a phase I STIR effort with the objective of developing and demonstrating effective nonlinear adaptive control of the aerodynamic flow about a dynamic body using a distributed array of synthetic jets for actuation. Design of a wind-tunnel test apparatus is presented. Motion of the model is constrained to two degrees of freedom. A conventional elevator is used to trim the model and change its dynamic characteristics. Position ... |
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| UAVs and Control Delays |
SEP 2005 |
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| Authors:
S. C. de Vries; TNO DEFENCE SECURITY AND SAFETY SOESTERBERG (NETHERLANDS)
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| UAV's (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) are remotely controlled. Delays in the datalinks are to be expected, potentially influencing the performance of the UAV operator. In this study, we examined literature on sources of delay, their effects on human performance, and potential solutions. Delays turn out in the range of 100 to 1600 ms. A delay of 100 ms usually leads to measurable degradation of human performance. Delays of about 250-300 ms ... |
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| Flight Control and Simulation for Aerial Refueling |
18 AUG 2005 |
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| Authors:
Atilla Dogan; Shinya Sato; TEXAS UNIV AT ARLINGTON DEPT OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
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| This paper addresses the problem of controlling the receiver aircraft to achieve a successful aerial refueling. For the performance verification of the controller, a new set of nonlinear, 6-DOF, rigid body equations of motion for the receiver aircraft has been derived. The equations are developed using the reference frame as one that is attached to, translates and rotates with the tanker aircraft. Furthermore, the nonlinear equations contain the wind effect ... |
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| AH-64A Back Up Control System (BUCS) Familiarization Training: Instructor Pilot's Guide for the AH-64 Simulator |
AUG 2005 |
74 pages |
| Authors:
Mike Couch; David M. Johnson; ARMY RESEARCH INST FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES FORT RUCKER AL ROTARY-WING AVIATION RESEARCH UNIT
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| The AH-64A Apache helicopter contains an emergency fly-by-wire flight control system, called BUCS, that exists to back-up the mechanical flight control system in the event that this primary system becomes damaged or malfunctions. Aviators must be trained in the operation of this back up control system. This BUCS familiarization training must take place in a simulator, since it is too dangerous and expensive to be performed in the aircraft. The ... |
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| Path Planning by Unmanned Air Vehicles for Engaging an Integrated Radar Network |
AUG 2005 |
17 pages |
| Authors:
Reid A. Larson; Meir Pachter; Mark J. Mears; AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH
|
| A growing concept in the field of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) is the idea of using a team of cooperating vehicles to participate in electronic countermeasures, defined here as jamming or deception techniques. A UAV may be tasked to engage a radar using noise jamming to mask its radar return or that of another vehicle. Similarly, a UAV may be assigned to deceive a radar by directing a delayed signal ... |
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| Reference Command Tracking for a Linearized Model of an Air-Breathing Hypersonic Vehicle |
AUG 2005 |
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| Authors:
Kevin P. Groves; David O. Sigthorsson; Andrea Serrani; Stephen Yurkovich; Michael A. Bolender; David B. Doman; OHIO STATE UNIV COLUMBUS OH COLLABORATIVE CENTER OF CONTROL SCIENCE
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| The focus of this paper is on control design and simulation for an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle. The challenges for control design in this class of vehicles lie in the inherent coupling between the propulsion system, and the airframe dynamics, and the presence of strong flexibility effects. Working from a highly nonlinear, dynamically-coupled simulation model, control designs are presented for velocity, angle-of-attack, and altitude command input tracking for a linearized version ... |
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| Numerical Analysis of Free Molecule Micro-Resistojet Performance |
JUN 2005 |
13 pages |
| Authors:
Zeeshan Ahmed; Sergery Gimelshein; Andrew Ketsdever; CALIFORNIA UNIV LOS ANGELES
|
| One of the most crucial requirements of modern space missions is the miniaturization of spacecraft and satellites. The miniaturization is tightly connected with new space technologies promoted by the Air Force, DARPA, and NASA, such as spacecraft formation flying, that implies two or more spacecraft that operate synchronously in a controlled spatial configuration. This, in turn, necessitates the development of new propulsion systems able to deliver precise impulse bits while ... |
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| Multidisciplinary Analysis and Control of High Performance Air Vehicles |
06 MAY 2005 |
265 pages |
| Authors:
Maj Dean Mirmirani; Chivey Wu; Helen Boussalis; Petros Ioannou; CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV LOS ANGELES
|
| Funds provided through the DoD Infrastructure Support for HBCU/MI grant awarded to California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFSOR) Dynamic Systems and Control on August 2001 were used for development of significant infrastructure of research, competency and capabilities in multidisciplinary modeling and control design of high-performance air vehicles. The investigators established a state-of-the-art research facility at CSULA-the Multidisciplinary Flight Dynamic ... |
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| Adaptive Laser Beam Control Using Return Photon Statistics |
MAY 2005 |
4 pages |
| Authors:
Susan M. Chandler; NUKOVE SCIENTIFIC CONSULTING LLC RANCHOS DE TAOS NM
|
| This Status Report, satisfying CLIN 000 1AB for the referenced contract, highlights the progress the Nukove Team has made during the second quarter of the Year One effort (1 March 2005-30 May 2005). Susan Chandler has had discussions with Mew Mexico State University, and Gordon Lukesh has talked extensively with NMSU statistician Deva Borah. Susan Chandler has had numerous discussions with Woof Consulting, solving the thorny issue of data sharing. ... |
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| Development of Formation Flight Control Algorithms Using 3 YF-22 Flying Models |
14 APR 2005 |
223 pages |
| Authors:
Marcello R. Napolitano; WEST VIRGINIA UNIV MORGANTOWN DEPT OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
|
| The main objective of this project was to provide a flight demonstration of formation control using UAV research aircraft models. This document will describe the efforts leading to the design, construction, and flight testing of formation control laws using three YF-22 research UAVs designed, built, and instrumented at West Virginia University (WVU). In the selected formation configuration, a radio control (R/C) pilot maintains ground control of the 'leader' aircraft while ... |
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| High Confidence Reconfigurable Distributed Control |
01 APR 2005 |
44 pages |
| Authors:
Jason Hickey; John Hauser; Richard Murray; CALIFORNIA INST OF TECH PASADENA OFFICE OF SPONSORED RESEARCH
|
| The Caltech/Colorado SEC project developed and tested two major advances in software enabled control: optimization-based control using real-time trajectory generation and logical programming environments for formal analysis of distributed control systems. These two activities, funded under the OCC and HSCC tasks of the SEC, were integrated and tested on the industry-led demonstration using the F-15 and T-33 flight tests. |
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| Head Tracking for 3D Audio Using a GPS-Aided MEMS IMU |
MAR 2005 |
130 pages |
| Authors:
Jacque M. Joffrion; AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH DEPT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING
|
| Audio systems have been developed which use stereo headphones to project sound in three dimensions. When using these 3D audio systems, audio cues sound like they are originating from a particular direction. There is a desire to apply 3D audio to general aviation applications, such as projecting control tower transmissions in the direction of the tower or providing an audio orientation cue for VFR pilots who find themselves in emergency ... |
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| Full Capability Formation Flight Control |
FEB 2005 |
204 pages |
| Authors:
Ryan K. Osteroos; AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT
|
| 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 ... |
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| Software Enabled Control. Design of Hierarchical, Hybrid Systems |
JAN 2005 |
37 pages |
| Authors:
Claire J. Tomlin; STANFORD UNIV CA DEPT OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS
|
| The objective of this effort is to develop a hybrid control theory for multiple UAVs. Specifically, to develop: A) A hybrid interface between discrete and continuous systems, B) A coordination algorithm for UAVs with distributed sensors. Application areas are air traffic control and satellite formation flight. 1) Real time hybrid system analysis and controller design, 2) Distributed sensing systems, and 3) Asynchronous control theory. Hybrid design (1) is based on ... |
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| Neural Network Control of a Parallel Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System for a Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
2005 |
283 pages |
| Authors:
Frederick G. Harmon; CALIFORNIA UNIV DAVIS DEPT OF MECHANICAL AND AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING
|
| Parallel hybrid-electric propulsion systems would be beneficial for small unmanned vehicles (UAVs) used for military, homeland security, and disaster-monitoring missions. The benefits, due to the hybrid and electric-only modes, include increased time-on-station and greater range as compared to electric-powered UAVs and stealth modes not available with gasoline-powered UAVs. This dissertation contributes to the research fields of small unmanned aerial vehicles, hybrid-electric propulsion system control, and intelligent control. A conceptual design ... |
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| Real-Time Parameter Identification for Self-Designing Flight Control |
2005 |
7 pages |
| Authors:
D. G. Ward; R. L. Barron; M. P. Carley; T. J. Curtis; BARRON ASSOCIATES INC CHARLOTTESVILLE VA
|
| A self-designing flight control system (SDFCS) could provide a cost-effective means for developing controllers for new aircraft by eliminating analyst-intensive design of numerous individual controllers, each optimized for a single flight condition. Additionally, the SDFCS could improve the capabilities of existing aircraft by enhancing control performance in new flight regimes such as high angle-of-attack or post-stall maneuvers. Finally, the SDFCS could automatically reconfigure the control system to account for sudden ... |
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| A Method for Compensation of Interactions Between Second-Order Actuators and Control Allocators |
2005 |
9 pages |
| Authors:
Michael W. Oppenheimer; David B. Doman; AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH AIR VEHICLES DIRECTORATE
|
| Typically, actuator dynamics are ignored when designing flight control allocators for aircraft because the bandwidths of actuators are normally much larger than the frequencies of the vehicle's rigid body modes. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, particularly when dealing with non-aerodynamic surface actuators. Ignoring the interactions between constrained control allocators and actuator dynamics can have serious consequences. In this work, a method, which post-processes the output of a control ... |
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| Distributed Power System for Microsatellites |
15 DEC 2004 |
16 pages |
| Authors:
E. J. Simburger; D. Rumsey; D. Hinkley; S. Liu; P. Carian; ARMY SPACE AND MISSILE DEFENSE COMMAND HUNTSVILLE AL
|
| The Aerospace Corporation has independently developed a distributed "Ring Bus" electric power system for Picosatellites. This distributed power system architecture is being implemented on a number of upcoming Picosatellite missions. The first implementations of this architecture will be flown on the PowerSphere Flight Experiment and the Pico Satellite Inflatable Reflector Experiment (PSIREX). To date not all Picosatellite missions have attitude control or deployable solar array structures. Solar cells are body ... |
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| Flight Testing the Automatic Air Collision Avoidance System (Auto ACAS) (CD-ROM) |
08 DEC 2004 |
|
| Authors:
James L. Less; AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST CENTER EDWARDS AFB CA
|
| ELECTRONIC FILE CHARACTERISTICS: 26 files; .MPG videos and .BMP images. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 CD-ROM; 4 3/4 in.; 216 MB and 1 hardcopy technical paper. SYSTEMS DETAIL NOTE: ABSTRACT: The United States Air Force and the Swedish government worked together to develop and demonstrate an Automatic Air Collision Avoidance System (Auto ACAS). The eventual implementation of this system on operational aircraft will accomplish two major goals. First, it will reduce ... |
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| Inertial Head Tracking for 3D Audio (Project "Sound Advice") |
DEC 2004 |
68 pages |
| Authors:
Jacque M. Joffrion; Frank A. Delsing; Christopher E. Hamilton; Michael D. Presnar; Stuart M. Reed; AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST CENTER EDWARDS AFB CA
|
| This report presents the results of a limited evaluation of a 3D audio system on board a USAF C-12C aircraft under two system configurations: 3D Audio system coupled to a reference navigation system, and 3D Audio system coupled to an inertial head tracker. Testing began on 14 Oct 2004 and was completed on 2 Nov 2004 after eight sorties. Inertial head tracker angular accuracy when coupled to the aircraft frame ... |
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| Plasma Control of Separated Flows on Bodies of Revolution at High Angles of Attack |
DEC 2004 |
61 pages |
| Authors:
Boris Y. Zanine; RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NOVOSIBIRSK INST OF THEORETICAL AND APPLIED MECHANICS
|
| This report results from a contract tasking Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics as follows: This proposal deals with surface discharge plasmas and other plasma devices to quench stall-slip departure due to 1) asymmetric vortex shedding on conical body nose tips, and 2) augment directional control/authority. In spite of the extensive work in this area, limited understanding of the underlying basic physical processes near body nose tips as they pertain ... |
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| Biological Inspired Direct Adaptive Guidance and Control for Autonomous Flight Systems |
30 SEP 2004 |
49 pages |
| Authors:
J. E. Corban; Cole Gilbert; Anthony J. Calise; Allen R. Tannenbaum; GUIDED SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES MCDONOUGH GA
|
| The work at Cornell centered on developing experimental methods to characterize flesh fly pursuit evasions, and resulted in the maturation of effective means to capture the 3-D trajectory, as well as body and head orientation. The data was processed at first by hand, and later using image processing algorithms to develop 3-D visualizations at the track, including the head orientation, and ultimately to map the location of the target on ... |
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| Boundary-Escape Tracking: A New Conception of Hazardous PIO |
SEP 2004 |
26 pages |
| Authors:
William Gray; AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST CENTER EDWARDS AFB CA
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| Pilot-induced oscillations (PIOs) have vexed many designers, scared many more flyers, and killed more than a few pilots and aircraft. In spite of decades of research and hundreds of lessons learned, hazardous PIOs remain a constant threat during most envelope expansion efforts. PIO prediction has assumed that all PIOs are essentially the same thing; a pilot maintaining a condition couples with the aircraft in a way that drives an oscillation. ... |
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| ONBORD (On-Board Navigation of Ballistic ORDnance): Gun-Launched Munitions Flight Controller |
AUG 2004 |
27 pages |
| Authors:
Michael J. Wilson; Rex A. Hall; Mark Ilg; ARMY RESEARCH LAB ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND MD WEAPONS AND MATERIALS RESEARCH DIRECTORATE
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| On-board navigation of ballistic ordnance (ONBORD) is a digital flight control system with telemetry support designed for the guidance, navigation, and control of gun-launched munitions. Requirements such as low cost, small size, low power, and high survivability, which exclude traditional flight controllers, are satisfied by the ONBORD system. The electronics consist of a single 1.4-inch printed circuit board that includes the Texas Instruments TMS320F2812 digital signal processor whose microcontroller-like capabilities ... |
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| Methods for Compensating for Control Allocator and Actuator Interactions |
AUG 2004 |
12 pages |
| Authors:
Michael W. Oppenheimer; David B. Doman; AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH
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| In this work, a method, which post-processes the output of a control allocation algorithm, is developed to compensate for actuator dynamics. In reaching this objective, it is of great importance to consider the real-world applicability of the approach. In order to obtain an algorithm which can operate in real-time on a typical flight computer, it is pertinent to not add to the complexity of the constrained control allocation algorithm. Likewise, ... |
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Flight Control and Instrumentation
