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Autopilot Feedback Loops Configuration Lec

This document discusses autopilot feedback loop configurations for different phases of flight. It provides examples of the feedback loops enabled during level flight, climb, descent, and pre-takeoff. Level flight uses loops for altitude, airspeed, and heading control. Climb and descent change which loops control cross-track error and altitude. Pre-takeoff has minimal enabled loops while the aircraft is on the ground.

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Muhammad Sayed
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
14 views

Autopilot Feedback Loops Configuration Lec

This document discusses autopilot feedback loop configurations for different phases of flight. It provides examples of the feedback loops enabled during level flight, climb, descent, and pre-takeoff. Level flight uses loops for altitude, airspeed, and heading control. Climb and descent change which loops control cross-track error and altitude. Pre-takeoff has minimal enabled loops while the aircraft is on the ground.

Uploaded by

Muhammad Sayed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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3/21/2020

Aerospace Guidance and Control


Systems (AER 408)
Autopilot Feedback Loops
Configuration

Autopilot Feedback Loop


Configuration
• The configuration of the feedback loops used by
conventional UAV Autopilot is based on the feedback
loops listed in the previous lecture.

• The Autopilot feedback loops configuration represents


how the output of some of the feedback loops feed the
input of other feedback loops.

• Not all of the feedback loops are enabled at any one


time. The Autopilot will enable and disable feedback
loops during the course of a flight in order to
accomplish its user-defined mission.

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Autopilot Feedback Loop


Configuration
• If the Autopilot is at its target altitude while flying
towards a waypoint, the feedback loops configuration
of the Level Flight are enabled.

• If, rather than flying level, the Autopilot is climbing


then the feedback loops configuration of Climb are
enabled. If the Autopilot is descending then the
feedback loops configuration of Descent are enabled.

• Some Autopilot feedback loops configuration examples


will be illustrated

feedback loops configuration of Level


Flight
• The feedback loops that are enabled while the
Autopilot is holding altitude are shown in bold
in the following.

• This example assumes that the Autopilot is


configured to use the elevator to control
altitude and the throttle to control airspeed.

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feedback loops configuration of Level


Flight

• If the Autopilot were configured to use the elevator to


control airspeed, then the pitch from airspeed feedback
loop would be enabled instead of the pitch from altitude
and throttle from altitude would be enabled instead of
throttle from airspeed.

feedback loops configuration of Level


Flight

• The Calculated HDG box does not correspond to a feedback


loop. This is a simple form of navigation where the
Autopilot generates a target heading by calculating the
direction between its current location and the next
waypoint.

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feedback loops configuration of Level


Flight

feedback loops configuration of Climb

• The feedback loops that are enabled when the


Autopilot is climbing while flying to a
waypoint using the “fromTo” mode are in bold
in the following.

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feedback loops configuration of Climb

• If the Autopilot is flying to a waypoint using


the “flyTo” Mode then Calculated HDG is
enabled instead of HDG from Crosstrack.

feedback loops configuration of Climb

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feedback loops configuration of


Descent
• The feedback loops that are enabled when the
Autopilot is descending while flying to a
waypoint using the “fromTo” mode are in bold
in the following

feedback loops configuration of


Descent

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feedback loops configuration of Pre-


Takeoff
• The Autopilot should have a feedback loops
configuration for each flight and pre-flight phase
in order to accomplish its user-defined mission.

• The feedback loops that are enabled when The


Autopilot is sitting on the ground waiting to
takeoff are shown in bold in the following

feedback loops configuration of Pre-


Takeoff

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List of References
• John Blakelock, "Automatic Control of Aircraft
and Missiles", John Wiley & Sons, 1990.
• Robert C. Nelson, "Flight Stability and
Automatic Control", McGraw Hill, 1989.
• Bernard Etkin and Lloyd Duffreid, "Dynamics
of Flight Stability and Control", John Wiley &
Sons, 1996.
• Donald Mclean, "Automatic Flight Control
Systems ", Prentice Hall, 1990.

Thank you

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