Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Graduate
Project Type
individual
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Mariano Chavez Rangel, Graduate student
Lead Presenter's Name
Mariano Chavez Rangel
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Engineering
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Kranthi Kumar Deveerasetty
Abstract
Flight testing and system identification are essential for accurately characterizing aircraft dynamics and supporting the development of reliable flight control systems. This work presents the use of an experimental Cessna 182 as a full-scale platform for flight testing and system identification, conducted by the Eagle Flight Research Center. The objective is to generate high-fidelity flight data to estimate aerodynamic and dynamic coefficients and establish a baseline model for comparison with a sub-scale aircraft incorporating Integrated High-Lift Propulsor (IHLP) technology. The experimental aircraft is equipped with a comprehensive onboard instrumentation suite designed to capture synchronized measurements of air data, aircraft motion, control inputs, and engine performance. Key sensors include pressure sensors, angle-of-attack and sideslip sensors, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), string potentiometers for control-surface deflection, and an engine data-monitoring system. A CompactRIO (cRIO) system is used for real-time data acquisition and processing during flight. Flight tests are conducted using controlled maneuvers, including 3-2-1-1 inputs, stalls, climbs, descents, and short-field takeoffs and landings across a range of flap configurations and airspeeds. These maneuvers are designed to excite the aircraft dynamics and capture representative responses under varying flight conditions. Post-flight data are processed and analyzed in MATLAB, and system identification is performed using the System Identification Programs for Aircraft (SIDPAC) toolbox. This enables the estimation of aerodynamic and dynamic coefficients and supports the development of mathematical models that describe the aircraft’s behavior. The results provide a validated baseline model of the full-scale Cessna 182, enabling direct comparison with the sub-scale IHLP-equipped platform. This work contributes to improved understanding of aircraft dynamics, supports control system development, and establishes a foundation for future research in advanced flight configurations.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Flight Testing and System Identification of an Experimental Cessna 182
Flight testing and system identification are essential for accurately characterizing aircraft dynamics and supporting the development of reliable flight control systems. This work presents the use of an experimental Cessna 182 as a full-scale platform for flight testing and system identification, conducted by the Eagle Flight Research Center. The objective is to generate high-fidelity flight data to estimate aerodynamic and dynamic coefficients and establish a baseline model for comparison with a sub-scale aircraft incorporating Integrated High-Lift Propulsor (IHLP) technology. The experimental aircraft is equipped with a comprehensive onboard instrumentation suite designed to capture synchronized measurements of air data, aircraft motion, control inputs, and engine performance. Key sensors include pressure sensors, angle-of-attack and sideslip sensors, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), string potentiometers for control-surface deflection, and an engine data-monitoring system. A CompactRIO (cRIO) system is used for real-time data acquisition and processing during flight. Flight tests are conducted using controlled maneuvers, including 3-2-1-1 inputs, stalls, climbs, descents, and short-field takeoffs and landings across a range of flap configurations and airspeeds. These maneuvers are designed to excite the aircraft dynamics and capture representative responses under varying flight conditions. Post-flight data are processed and analyzed in MATLAB, and system identification is performed using the System Identification Programs for Aircraft (SIDPAC) toolbox. This enables the estimation of aerodynamic and dynamic coefficients and supports the development of mathematical models that describe the aircraft’s behavior. The results provide a validated baseline model of the full-scale Cessna 182, enabling direct comparison with the sub-scale IHLP-equipped platform. This work contributes to improved understanding of aircraft dynamics, supports control system development, and establishes a foundation for future research in advanced flight configurations.