Aircraft Autopilot Compensation for Nonlinear Spoiler Roll Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft autopilot control systems face instability due to nonlinearities in mechanical linkages and spoiler deployment, leading to unwanted rolling moments and oscillations, which existing compensation methods fail to adequately address without introducing significant time delays or negating the benefits of existing roll spoiler systems.
Innovation Solution
An autopilot nonlinear compensation method and system that determine a ratio of desired to total aerodynamic moments, adjusting the autopilot command with a corrective signal to stabilize the aircraft, using a combination of sensors and flight controllers to predict and compensate for nonlinearities in control surface positions and moments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If existing compensation methods are used to address nonlinearities, then stability is improved, but significant time delays are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by predicting the pilot interface position and calculating the ratio of desired to total aerodynamic moments in advance, before the nonlinear effects fully manifest. This allows the corrective command to be applied proactively, reducing the effective time delay in stabilizing the autopilot system while maintaining stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If roll spoilers are disabled or reshaped to achieve linearity, then nonlinear oscillations are reduced, but the benefits of existing roll spoiler systems are negated
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring the measured pilot interface position and using it to calculate the ratio of desired to total aerodynamic moments. This feedback loop enables real-time correction of nonlinear effects without modifying the physical spoiler system, preserving its full functionality while achieving roll control stability through software-based compensation.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If mechanical linkages and spoiler deployment are modified to eliminate nonlinearities, then unwanted rolling moments are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces mechanical modifications with a computational approach. Instead of physically modifying linkages or spoilers to eliminate nonlinearities, the system uses software algorithms to calculate and compensate for the nonlinear effects in real-time, reducing unwanted rolling moments without increasing mechanical system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An autopilot nonlinear compensation method includes providing an autopilot command for executing an aircraft maneuver, determining a desired aerodynamic moment of the aircraft based on the autopilot command, providing a measured pilot interface position, determining a total aerodynamic moment of the aircraft based on the measured pilot interface position and the autopilot command in combination with the desired aerodynamic moment, determining a ratio of the desired aerodynamic moment to the total aerodynamic moment, and adjusting the autopilot command with a corrective command based on the ratio. The method may be used to stabilize autopilot control of an aircraft following nonlinear deployment of a control surface.