Integrated Propulsion and Control of Rotorcraft
Presenter Email
agrawas1@my.erau.edu
Submission Type
Poster
Topic Area
Advanced Air Mobility
Keywords
AAM, UAM, eVTOL, DEP, Integrated Propulsion
Abstract
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE OVERVIEW
The Eagle Flight Research Center (EFRC) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is investigating the handling qualities of failure modes of multi-rotors employing distributed electric propulsion (DEP) systems in AAM aircraft vehicles. The handling characteristics for operation of these vehicles in private and commercial industries requires a deeper understanding of its dynamics and controllability under failure conditions. The objective of the research performed at the EFRC centers around designing and testing different thrust and moment control allocation methods for an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle, in addition to assessing their performance in both nominal and failure modes of operation. The study uses simulation and flight-testing data for evaluating the theoretical and experimental concepts proposed for the testbed vehicle.
METHODOLGY
The control law (CLAW) development and testing in this project was a multi-phase iterative process. The phases of development starting from designing and testing the CLAWs within the vehicle’s dynamic model to conducting flight tests on the vehicle running flight software integrated with the developed CLAWs, leads to the testing of flight performance in different flight modes. These CLAWs are compared in multiple aspects of flight quality including but not limited to reaction time, vehicle stability and pilot comfort.
SAMPLE RESULTS
A Cascaded Feed Forward controller was used in simulating the rotor failure scenarios of the vehicle for different control allocation methods. Three step responses were implemented for each axis to determine its settling time and response of the PIDs to track the reference commands at a constant RPM of 1800. The settling time when compared revealed that the variable pitch – 2 (VP2) control law had the fastest response time, and it was the only control law that could support failure flight.
Integrated Propulsion and Control of Rotorcraft
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE OVERVIEW
The Eagle Flight Research Center (EFRC) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is investigating the handling qualities of failure modes of multi-rotors employing distributed electric propulsion (DEP) systems in AAM aircraft vehicles. The handling characteristics for operation of these vehicles in private and commercial industries requires a deeper understanding of its dynamics and controllability under failure conditions. The objective of the research performed at the EFRC centers around designing and testing different thrust and moment control allocation methods for an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle, in addition to assessing their performance in both nominal and failure modes of operation. The study uses simulation and flight-testing data for evaluating the theoretical and experimental concepts proposed for the testbed vehicle.
METHODOLGY
The control law (CLAW) development and testing in this project was a multi-phase iterative process. The phases of development starting from designing and testing the CLAWs within the vehicle’s dynamic model to conducting flight tests on the vehicle running flight software integrated with the developed CLAWs, leads to the testing of flight performance in different flight modes. These CLAWs are compared in multiple aspects of flight quality including but not limited to reaction time, vehicle stability and pilot comfort.
SAMPLE RESULTS
A Cascaded Feed Forward controller was used in simulating the rotor failure scenarios of the vehicle for different control allocation methods. Three step responses were implemented for each axis to determine its settling time and response of the PIDs to track the reference commands at a constant RPM of 1800. The settling time when compared revealed that the variable pitch – 2 (VP2) control law had the fastest response time, and it was the only control law that could support failure flight.
