How to build the definite animation tool that will help you analyze in detail the complex dynamics of an aircraft’s movement
They say data is gold.
However, raw-data on its own will never be as valuable as gold. It’s the post-processing and visualization tools that allow us to exploit all the added value that the data hides.
In the aerospace industry, we analyze a vast amount of raw data generated by high-fidelity simulators. When it comes to the validation and verification of flight control systems, the number of simulations required to be performed to check the aircraft’s controllability and handling qualities starts to build-up.
In some cases, we simulate millions of maneuvers to check that the aircraft never departs from a…
How frequency hybridization of inertial and air-data measurements can provide enhanced control robustness against turbulence, without impairing the controller stability margins
Atmospheric perturbations are evil for every pilot. It takes guts and magic touch to land an airliner with a wind shear profile and severe turbulence. And believe it or not, it takes even more expertise to land a Cessna under the same adverse conditions.
The lower the flight speed, the higher the effect of turbulence on the aircraft’s movements. If you have ever flown a drone or an RC plane in windy weather, you know what I’m talking about.
When I started working in the aerospace industry, one of the first problems I had to deal with was closely related…
Introducing one of the most simple frequency estimation algorithms for digital signal processing applications
GPS, radar systems, or even satellite communications; all these applications and devices have one thing in common: they work using frequency-encoded data. In order to decode the valuable information, all these systems use special algorithms to accurately estimate the main frequency of the digital signals they work with.
Many of these algorithms have been proposed throughout the second half of the 20th century and are used to estimate the main frequency of a certain digital signal in real-time, however, only a bunch of them are simple enough (in terms of numerical complexity) to be fit for the embedded software of…
How optimization-based methodologies are improving the flight control systems’ safety
Since the introduction of the first non-experimental digital fly-by-wire system in the F-8 Crusader, the exponential growth of the embedded control systems computing power has enabled the military aerospace industry to develop more efficient and agile aircraft.
Generally, modern fighters are designed to be naturally unstable for the sake of maneuverability and agility, requiring the use of Flight Control Laws (FCL) to artificially stabilize the aircraft dynamics and to provide diverse safety-critical flight envelope protection functions, along with automatic or semiautonomous flight modes.
To ensure the safe operation of the aircraft and the correct functioning of the FCL, a clearance…
Rodney Rodríguez
Aerospace Engineer at Airbus Defence and Space with a great passion for Technology and Science.
