Boguslaw Dolega

The new conception of the laboratory testing of the FBW control system for small aircraft

The paper presents conception and practical realization of laboratory testing of control system for small aircraft. The stand used in these tests is prepared in Matlab and Simulink environment. Usage of xPC and RTW modules enables the system to perform “Hardware in the loop” real time tests including tests with pilots. As a hardware PC computer equipped with specialized boards, including A/C, C/A, converters and RS232, LPT, CAN 2B data lines was used. The main task of presented stand is to make possible tests of control system introducing new conception of aircraft controlling (e.g. smart control and decoupled control techniques).

Control system for medium‐sized flying target

Abstract The research team from Control and Avionics Department of Rzeszow University of Technology (RUT) has been working on control systems for many types of flying objects for years. Experiences the team has had during their activity have helped create the control algorithms for a medium‐size flying target (MSFT). Researchers from RUT, together with the small aviation company EUROTECH, have been working on a flying target for artillery. This paper gives a generic view of the system, including airborne and on‐ground parts. But this paper mainly presents the control system that is mounted on the MSFT. The paper describes the generic conception of the control system of the flying target, including control laws used in the control system of the MSFT. Results of simulations and real flight data are also presented.

The training rate of aircraft handling quality evaluation scale

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the sample result of researches under original conception of the aircraft handling qualities evaluation scale. It allows rating and comparing of different control algorithms implemented into the control system in the simple way.Design/methodology/approach – The presented handling qualities evaluation scale takes into consideration two main elements to generate the grade of the tested control law. These are: pilots workload during typical flight phases and the second is precision of control the pilot reaches controlling the plane.Findings – The paper presents possibilities of using of the proposed methodology. Also contributions of its use are described.Practical implications – The presented methodology can be applied to evaluate and compare handling qualities of different control algorithms supporting pilots.Originality/value – This paper presents original conception of handling qualities evaluation scale for aircraft equipped with fly‐by‐wire control system.

The possibilities of chosen applications of control and navigation systems in general aviation aircraft and unmanned air vehicles

Abstract The development of informatics and sensor techniques has extended the possibilities of flight parameter measurement. It allows for extensive modification of control and navigation systems in air vehicles. This advance can also be noticed in the research of the Department of Avionics and Control at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics, Rzeszow University of Technology. Research in the area of digital flight control systems was initiated at the Department of Avionics and Control over twenty years ago.

Controllers for fault tolerant actuators

Abstract The Fly‐by‐Wire technology enables flexible shaping of both effective dynamics and handling qualities of aircraft. This solution extends aircraft possibilities and supports the pilot by use of high‐level control laws. Application of FBW for aircraft would make flying both safer, and more popular. On the other hand the FBW system must be highly reliable. Advanced indirect flight control technology requires the use of actuators characterized by fault tolerant architecture. It should enable improvement of reliability of the aircraft control system and safety of performed flights effectively. The Electromechanical Actuator (EMA) consists of the electric motor, gearbox and controller. The actuator controller should be made intrinsically reliable and should be insensitive to other equipment failure. The conception of fault tolerant control algorithms as well as practical realization of it has been presented in this work. Tests of reliability of the complete EMA unit have also been presented herein.

Review of Chosen Control Algorithms Used for Small UAV Control

In this article review of chosen control algorithms used for small UAV at Department of Control Systems of Rzeszów University of Technology and their properties is presented. At first, control laws based on modified PID algorithms are described. The example of modification is the use of double differentiation in the algorithm. Proposed modifications improve control quality. Next, model following LQR algorithms is introduced. Implementation of that algorithm improves control quality in the flight at trajectory. In the algorithm presented integration between desired trajectory and plant trajectory is introduced as an additional state.Another algorithm which is presented is sliding mode control algorithm as an example of robust control. It allows you to control plane in event of a fault. Appropriate selection of sliding surface ensures the stability of the system and good quality control under normal operating conditions and enables flight in the event of non-critical damage. To improve the quality control in emergency mode, the parameters of the sliding surface during flight can be modified. The last presented algorithm is model reference adaptive controller. The adaptation mechanism is derived from second Lyapunov method. It also enables control in the case of chosen faults. An example presented in the article is realized for roll angle control. In the case of control surface fault (e.g. aileron or rudder), the algorithm enables aircraft control. In that case control surface fault is treated as an uncertainty of model used.

The method of evaluation of the aircraft control system

Abstract The dynamical development of general aviation demands compilation of new aircraft control methods. Those methods allow people without special airborne qualifications to pilot these aircrafts. The main goals of such a control system are to reduce a pilots load, to improve control precision, and to protect an aircraft against dangerous situations. There are many criterions applied to grading and describing an aircrafts flying characteristics and the handling qualities of general aviation airplanes equipped with classical mechanical control systems. But a modern, small, transport aircraft should be equipped with fly‐by‐wire control systems, and there are no clear, straight, rules rate and describe the handling qualities of small airplanes with fly‐by‐wire control systems. This paper presents a methodology created by the authors that classifies and compares the handling qualities of general aviation aircraft equipped with fly‐by‐wire control systems. It takes into consideration two parameters: pilo...