Attitude Control Enhancement Using Distributed Wing Load Sensing for Dynamic Servoelastic Control

Fly-by-feel uses distributed sensing of forces along the lifting surfaces of an aircraft. Whether such measurements are made via hot films, pressure sensors, or strain gauges, all can provide distributed force information that must be intelligently fused and utilized to achieve performance goals. Fly-by-feel will be used to achieve robust disturbance rejection, mass property augmentation, and aeroelastic tailoring. Earlier results using acceleration measurements will be duplicated and demonstrated using strain gauge measurements. Aeroelastic tailoring is a generalization of mass property augmentation whereby the modal mass and damping of selected modes will be augmented using a set of strain sensors. Technology for the design, modeling, and construction of small vehicles with flexible wings will be transferred from the university partner. Existing vehicle models will be used and updated as needed to show the feasibility of the new technology. Transition of the technology to larger vehicles will be demonstrated using models and simulation. Hardware testing using a NextGen strain sensor array will begin in Phase I and then continue in Phase II with wind tunnel and flight testing.