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Aircraft model for automatic taxi directional control system design

Mariusz Krawczyk (Department of Avionics, Instytut Lotnictwa w Warszawie, Warszawa, Poland)
Cezary Jerzy Szczepanski (Faculty of Mechanics and Energy, Politechnika Wroclawska, Wroclaw, Poland and Wydział Mechaniczno-Energetyczny, Politechnika Wroclawska, Wroclaw, Poland)
Albert Zajdel (Center of Space Technologies, Instytut Lotnictwa w Warszawie, Warsaw, Poland)

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 11 October 2018

Issue publication date: 13 March 2019

169

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a concept of an automatic directional control system of remotely piloted aerial system (RPAS) during the taxiing phase. In particular, it shows the initial stages of the control laws synthesis – mathematical model and simulation of taxiing aircraft. Several reasons have emerged in recent years that make the automation of taxiing an important design challenge including decreased safety, performance and pilot workload.

Design/methodology/approach

The adapted methodology follows the model-based design approach in which the control system and the aircraft are mathematically modelled to allow control laws synthesis. The computer simulations are carried out to analyse the model behaviour.

Findings

Chosen methodology and modelling technique, especially tire-ground contact model, resulted in a taxing aircraft model that can be used for directional control law synthesis. Aerodynamic forces and moments were identified in the wind tunnel tests for the full range of the slip angle. Simulations allowed to compute the critical speeds for different taxiway conditions in a 90° turn.

Practical implications

The results can be used for the taxi directional control law synthesis and simulation of the control system. The computed critical speeds can be treated as safety limits.

Originality/value

The taxi directional control system has not been introduced to the RPAS yet. Therefore, the model of taxiing aircraft including aerodynamic characteristics for the full range of the slip angle has a big value in the process of design and implementation of the future auto taxi systems. Moreover, computed speed safety limits can be used by designers and standard creators.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The work is carried out within the European project ERA (Enhanced RPAS Automation), ordered by EDA (European Defense Agency). Thanks to the Polish Ministry of National Defense for financing the participation of the Institute of Aviation in the European project: Enhanced RPAS Automation - ERA.

Citation

Krawczyk, M., Szczepanski, C.J. and Zajdel, A. (2018), "Aircraft model for automatic taxi directional control system design", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 91 No. 3, pp. 477-483. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-06-2018-0161

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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