2010 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Computational Intelligence

Flight Dynamics Identification of a Helicopter in Hovering Based on Flight Data

Ren Qianqian
School of Control Science and Engineering Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian , China rqq1985@163.com
AbstractA method to identify the flight dynamics model of a helicopter in hovering is put forward in this paper. First, a mechanism model of the helicopter is given and a great lot of helicopter flight tests are performed based on this model. Then, flight data obtained from the tests are used in the proposed stepwise regression identification approach to ascertain the parameters of flight dynamics model and a state-space model of the helicopter in hovering is built. Finally, flight experiments are carried out and the results validate the correctness and accuracy of the model. Keywords- Helicopter; Method; State-space Model System Identification; Regression

Feng Yi
School of Control Science and Engineering Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian , China fengyi@dlut.edu.cn Afterwards, many researchers applied the algorithm to identify helicopter models and got three-dimensional dynamic model of helicopters with vertical and horizontal separation. Because of this separation , the identification results can not reflect the coupling between different channels . Time domain and frequency domain identification techniques have both advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, time domain method is used because it is easier to obtain time domain data in the flight tests. The coupling between channels is also taken into consideration in the process of identification. II. MECHANISM HELICOPTER MODEL

I. INTRODUCTION Flight control is the core problem in autonomous flight of unmanned helicopter. The success of a flight control system directly depends on the accuracy of the helicopter model. Helicopter is a typical multi-input and multi-output system. Also, it has complicated aerodynamic characteristics [1], including wind effects, rotor flapping, aerodynamic interaction between different parts of helicopter, and so on. In addition, helicopter is a non-linear, non-minimum phase system with high degree of coupling between channels. So, it is very difficult to build accurate mathematical model of a helicopter. Though theoretical model is relatively easy to obtain, but it can not reflect the dynamic behaviors precisely. Using flight data to identify flight dynamics model becomes a hot topic in this field. Nowadays, researches on aircraft state estimation and parameters identification have developed to a quite high level in many countries.Time domain and frequency domain methods are two generally approaches. U.S.military and NASA developed together a frequency domain identification algorithm CIFER[2], including structure identification and parameters identification. CIFER can be applied to identify many types of helicopters. It works well on modeling for CH-47[3], S-76[4], UH-60MU[5], Fire Scout[6] and so on. Transfer functions and state-space equation models for systems can be obtained using this method and the results are satisfied. In the field of time domain identification, KennetbW Iliff[7] proposed a Maximum Likelihood Estimation algorithm in the early 70s of last century and it was used to identify the dynamic model of aircrafts.

The identification object in this paper is a single rotor, conventional layout light helicopter whose take-off weight is 300 kilograms. Compared with a miniature helicopter, it can meet higher load requirements. The forces and moments acted on the helicopter are calculated using blade element theory[8] and a nonlinearized model with six degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) can be described with the following quations:
I xx p = ( I yy I zz )qr + I xz ( r + pq ) + L I yy p = ( I zz I xx )rp + I xz (r 2 p 2 ) + M I zz p = ( I xx I yy ) pq + I xz ( p + qr ) + N u = (rv qw) + v = ( pw ru ) + w = (qu pv) +

X g sin Ma Y + g sin cos Ma Z + g cos cos Ma

(1)

= q sin sec + r cos sec = q cos + r sin

Based on small perturbation theory[9], parameters of the helicopter near equilibrium can be expressed as :
x = xe + x

= p + q sin tan + r cos tan

(2)

Then the force and moment acted on the helicopter can be written in the following approximate form:
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978-0-7695-4225-6/10 $26.00 2010 IEEE DOI 10.1109/AICI.2010.346

X X X X X X X u + v + w + + + + p u v w p X X X X X X + q + r + col + lat + lon + ped q r col lat lon ped X = Xe +

Using small perturbation theory, non-linear helicopter model is trimmed and the linearized equations of motion for the full 6-DOF can be written as:
x = Ax + Bu y = Cx
x = [u v w p q r ] y = [ue ve we p q r ]
- 0.0200 0.0012 - 0.0500 0 A= 0 0 0.0109 0.0383 - 0.0006 - 0.0011 - 0.0002 - 0.0350 - 0.0198 0 9.8000

Where u , , w are translational velocities in three orthogonal directions of the fuselage fixed axis system. , , are Euler angles defining the orientation of the body axes relative to the earth. p, q, r are angular velocities. Here, u = [ col lat lon ped ] , where col is the installation angle of rotors root which equals to the sum of main rotor collective pitch angle and linear pre-torsion angle. In this paper, linear pre-torsion angle is 8; lat is lateral cyclic pitch; lon is longitudinal cyclic pitch and ped is tail rotor collective pitch angle. According to the trim calculations in hovering, the followings can be obtained:
- 9.8000 0 - 0.2255 0.2353 - 0.0000 0.0000 0 - 0.2449 - 0.2255 0.0391 0.0055 0 - 0.0293 - 0.0015 0.0000 0.0000 0 1.0000 - 0.0000 - 0.0006 0 0 0 1.0000 - 0.0005 - 0.0000 0 0 0.0005 1.0000 0 0 - 2.2085 - 2.0295 0.3436 0 0 0.4267 - 0.5002 0.0031 0 0 0.5650 0.0097 - 0.4800

(3)

- 0.0366 - 0.4518 - 0.0046 0 0 - 0.0000 0 0 0 0 - 0.0000 0.0000 0 0 0

- 0.2775 - 0.1782 0.0015 - 0.0148 0.1260 - 0.0287

- 0.0011 - 0.0000 0.2064 - 0.0903 0.2064 0.0000 - 2.0418 - 0.0000 0.0002 0 0 0 B= 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0.8127 1.8577 0.0001 0.0139 0.0000 - 0.3911 0.8906 0.0000 0.0000

- 0.0000 0.0459 0 0 0 0 0.4167 - 0.0078 - 0.4700

The main purpose of this section is to obtain accurate Ad and Bd from the flight data using iterative regression algorithm step by step. From equation (3), the ith state varaible at step time k + 1 can be defined as:
xi (k + 1) = aijxj (k ) + bijuj (k )
j =1 j =1 9 4

(4)

III.

SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION METHODS

the kth step time is formed by the parameters to be estimated of elements of matrices A and B.
ABi (k ) = [ ai1 ai 2 ai 3 ai 4 ai 5 ai 6 ai 7 ai 8 ai 9 bi1 bi 2 bi 3 bi 4 ]

x(k ) , u (k ) are all given, so the input vector can be T defined as io( k ) = [ x ( k ) u ( k )] . The parameter vector at

Discretizing the state-space model obtained from the previous section, discretized dynamics models are defined with the following equations:
x(k + 1) = Adx(k ) + Bdu (k ) y(k + 1) = Cdx(k )

(3)

equation(4) can be written as

ei (k ) is the error in the iterative process, then xi(k ) = abi (k )io(k ) + ei (k ) . The error ei ( k ) should be minimized so that Ad and Bd can
Assuming reflect the systems dynamics accurately. Supposing n times of iterations are needed.
xi (2) = abi (1)io(1) + ei (1) ...... xi ( n) = abi ( n 1)io( n 1) + ei ( n 1)

Supposing,
a11 . Ad = ai1 . a 91 ... a1 j ... a19 b11 . ... . ... . ... aij ... ai 9 Bd = bi1 ... . ... . . b91 ... a 9 j ... a 99
... b1 j ... b14 ... . ... . ... bij ... bi 4 ... . ... . ... b9 j ... b94

(5)

Ad Bd are the matrixes need to be identified in equation (3). pilot command vector u (k ) and state variables x (k ) at any given time k , k (1: n ) can be obtained using flight tests data.

These equations (5) are summarized with the following formulation:

Xdes = AB * IO + e

where,

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 Xdes = [ xdes (2) ... xdes (n)]T T IO = [io(1) ... io(n 1)] T e = [ e(1) ... e(n 1)]

( A + BCD)1 = A1 A1B(C 1 + DA1 B) DA1

(6)

If A = P( N )1 , B = io( N + 1), C = 1, D = io( N + 1)T , following equation can be obtained:

P( N + 1) = P( N )

the

The following cost function J is defined to minimize the error:

J ( AB) = eT We = We 2 (k )
k =1 n

P( N )

io( N + 1) *
1

(15)

(7)

T P( N ) T P( N ) 1 + io( N + 1) io( N + 1) io( N + 1)

W is selected to be diagonal. If W equals to eye, it means that the error coefficients have the same weight, so the values of weight factor can be adjusted according to actual needs. In the process of iteration, newer points are given greater weight than the older points, so the weight for the kth iteration are chosen to be Wij (k ) = n k ( <1). Therefore, the weight gets smaller as n-k increasing and approaches to zero at last while it gets larger as n-k decreasing. In this way the above conditions can be satisfied. The smaller is, the faster the algorithm can track as well as bigger estimation differences for each iteration. Supposing the parameters to be identified are time-invariant, then the cost function equation can be developed as:
J ( AB ) = eTWe = ( Xdes AB * IO)T W ( Xdes AB * IO) = Xdes TWXdes 2 Xdes TWAB * IO + IOT * ABTWAB * IO

For the same reason,

IO ( N + 1)T WX des ( N + 1) =

IO ( N )T WXdes ( N ) + io ( N + 1) xdes ( N + 1)
Substituting Eq(15)and Eq(16)into(11), it can be obtained:
P( N ) AB ( N + 1) = IO ( N )T WXdes ( N ) + io ( N + 1) xdes ( N + 1) * (

(16)

(17)

P( N )

P( N ) P( N ) io ( N + 1) 1 + io ( N + 1)T io ( N + 1) io ( N + 1)T )

In Eq(11), estimated parameter matrix is defined as:

AB ( N ) = P ( N ) IO ( N )T WXdes ( N )

(8)

It is substituted into Eq(17):

AB( N + 1) = AB( N ) + P( N )

To minimize the cost function, its derivative is defined as equal to zero.

J ( AB ) = 2 Xdes TWIO + 2 IOT ABT WIO = 0 AB
Xdes TWIO = IO T ABT WIO

P( N )

io( N + 1) xdes( N + 1)
1

(9) (10)
T

Transforming equation (10): IO WXdes = IO WIOAB

T

P( N ) io( N + 1) 1 + io( N + 1)T io( N + 1) * T T io( N + 1) AB( N ) + io( N + 1) io( N + 1) xdes( N + 1)

1

(18)

The matrix to be identified can be obtained:

AB = ( IO WIO) IO WXdes
T 1 T

Defining (11)
K ( N + 1) = P( N )

P( N ) io( N + 1) 1 + io( N + 1)T io( N + 1)

(19)

The matrix IO( N + 1) can be written as:

IO( N + 1) = [io(1) io(2) ... io( N + 1)]
T

Then, (12)
AB( N + 1) = AB( N ) +

P( N )

The term IOTWIO can be developed by introducing a recurrence relationship [10] .

IO( N + 1)T WIO( N + 1) = io(k ) w(k )io(k )T
k =1 N +1

io( N + 1) xdes( N + 1)

(20)

K ( N + 1)io( N + 1)T AB( N ) + io( N + 1) xdes ( N + 1)

This formula can be simplified: (13)

AB( N + 1) = AB( N ) + K ( N + 1)( xdes( N + 1) io( N + 1)T AB( N )) (21)

= io(k )
k =1

N k

io(k ) + io( N + 1)io( N + 1)

= IO( N )T WIO( N ) + io( N + 1)io( N + 1)T

Substituting Eq(19) into Eq(15), the expression of P becomes:

P( N + 1) = 1

Defining ( IO(k )T WIO(k ))1 as P(k ) , then

P( N + 1) = ( IO( N + 1)T WIO( N + 1))1 = ( IO( N ) WIO( N ) + io( N + 1)io( N + 1) )
T T 1

( I K ( N + 1)io( N + 1)T ) P( N )

(22)

(14)

This is the whole process of identifying the matrix AB. The flow chart of this identification process is as follows:

= ( P( N )1 + io( N + 1)io( N + 1)T )1

Using the following analytical formula [7]

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initialize 0 < 1 Initialize matries P andABP is diagonal .AB get from mechanical calculation

I = ( Xdesi (k ) ABi (k ) * IOi (k ))2

i =1 k =1

(23)

IV.

FLIGHT TESTS AND MODEL IDENTIFICATION

Calculate matries K (k + 1) = P(k )io(k + 1) + io(k + 1)T P( k )io(k + 1) 1

Calculate matries AB(k + 1) = AB( k ) + K (k + 1)( xdes( k + 1) io(k + 1)T AB( k ))

Calculate matries

P (k + 1) =

( I K ( k + 1)io( k + 1)T ) P ( k )

,k=k+1

J ( AB) < ?

N N
K>=n ?

end Figure 1. Flow chart of identification process

For each step, the parameters matrices A and B are obtained. Each pair of matrices are tested for the entire signals and the pairs which make the minimum error are selected. The error can be defined by equation (23). Then the pair with minimum I is chosen as our identification result.

At the beginning of the tests, manual operations are carried out to make the helicopter take off and keep it in hovering. Then it is transferred to automatic control model. Basic four feedback loops PID control method is used. PID parameters are adjusted to stabilize the helicopter in hovering. Control inputs are main rotor collective pitch, lateral cyclic pitch, longitudinal cyclic pitch and tail rotor collective pitch. The control inputs are recorded for each step. Machine body is equipped with a strap-down AHRS to obtain real-time recording of the helicopters state variables in hovering. It includes a three-axis gyro, a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis magnetic heading of dollars and a GPS. Thus the data Xdes and IO needed for identification are achieved from the AHRS. Precision of tests data directly affect system identification accuracy. Therefore, it is required that data obtained in the experiments close to the true values to the maximum extent to improve the identification accuracy. A lot of noises and interferences affect the helicopter in the flight tests, so the tests data need to be processed to filter out noises and disturbances before identification. Firstly, a low pass filter is used to filter high frequency noises; then the trend of data items and the median values are wiped out; finally, the tests data are smoothed using Polynomial Centre Interpolation fitting algorithm. Afterwards, introducing these processed tests data into the algorithm operations given in section II, the matrices A and B are both identified. The coupling between yaw channel and other channels is relatively small, so yaw angle can be removed from these states to simplify the calculation in the process of identification. The matrices A and B obtained from the process of identification are:
0.1743 0.1095 0.1077 0.0346 0.0405 0.028 0.0916 0.0319 10.6731 7.0587 3.0826 10.184 1.9605 4.0207 22.3698 5.922 6.5585 14.9893 57.191 34.7412 3.3501 0.5935 6.3854 0.6324 9.8524 0.2948 2.7781 2.4798 identified model, a group of state variables can be obtained through calculation. The block diagram of this process is as follows: 0.0376 0.0187 0.0508 0.0113

0.0196 0.0014 0.0204 0.0009 0.036 0.0144 0.0499 0.0373 0.4339 0.0498 0.1581 5.7448 A= 0.0413 0.0655 1.639 0.0443 0.396 2.1116 0.0148 0.0077 0.1801 0.0013 0.082 0.0514
0.2463 0.0957 0.1007 0.04 0.7414 0.4388 69.7839 19.5575 B= 29.6938 16.2502 122.857 15.0804 2.0714 7.0285 21.8654 24.763 0.0764 0.2582 0.1333 0.0849 0.1604 0.0766 2.7752 36.0032 0.4227 18.3259 47.9762 96.5043 6.9233 4.4401 0.2157 3.8452

0.0005 0.0049 0.0123 3.9744 3.0683 3.2331 0.8901 0.4776

, ,

Figure 2. Block diagram of state equation simulation

V.

IDENTIFICATION RESULTS VERIFICATION AND ANALYSIS

Calculated state variables and measured values from flight tests can be compared in these figures (3), (4), (5) and (6).

The identification results can be validated in time domain. Using a group of data of control input as input signal of the

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Secondly, low pass filter with relatively high cut-off frequency is selected to fully reflect the control response. However, body dynamics model of the helicopter is actually a low frequency model. This brings identification error in the high frequency domain. Thirdly, due to vibration, wind and other ignored influences, there exist a lot of high-frequency noise during the attitude measurement process. These all affect the accuracy of the identification. VI.
Figure 3. Pitch angle CONCLUSION

Figure 4.

Roll angle

Firstly, a state-space model of a helicopter in hovering is built using mechanism modeling method. Thus the structure of the identification object and initial parameters are determined. Then targeting at minimum gradient of error function, the parameters are adjusted gradually through stepwise iteration with flight data and finally identification results are obtained. Flight experiments indicate the calculated output of the model and the measured output have high degree of agreement and verify that the identified model can accurately reveal dynamic characteristics of the helicopter in hovering. However, there are still some problems need to be solved. For example, data miss during flight data collection, outside wind influence, sensor measure errors and so on. Therefore, more flight tests are to be performed to further prove the identification results. REFERENCES
[1] Padfield, Gareth D. Helicopter Flight Dynamics: The Theory and Application of Flying Qualities and Simulation Modeling, AIAA Education Series. 1996.G. [2] Tischler, M.B., Cauffman, M. G., Frequency-Response Method for Rotorcraft System Identification: Flight Applications to BO-105 Coupled Rotor/Fuselage Dynamics Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol 37, No. 3, pg 3-17, July, 1992K. [3] Irwin, J.G., Blanken C. L., Einthoven, P.G., Miller, D.G.,ADS-33E Predicted and Assigned Low-Speed Handling Qualities of the CH-47F with Digital AFCS, Proceedings of the American Helicopter Society 63rd Annual Forum, May 1-3 2007. [4] Christensen, K.T., Campbell K.G., Griffith, C.D., Ivler, C.M., Tischler, M.B., Harding, J.W., Flight Control Development for the ARH-70 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter Program, Proceedings of the American Helicopter Society 63rd Annual Forum, May 1-3 2007, Virginia Beach, Virginia. [5] Quiding, C., Ivler, C.M., Tischler, M.B., GenHel S-76C Model Correlation using Flight Test Identified Models, Proceedings of the American Helicopter Society 64th Annual Forum, April 29th May 1st 2008,Montreal,Canada [6] Fletcher et al. UH-60M Upgrade Fly-By-Wire Flight Control Risk Reduction using the RASCAL JUH-60 In Flight Simulator, American Helicopter Society 64th Annual Forum, April 29th May 1st 2008, Montreal, Canada [7] Hammel P. Rotorcraft system ident ification [R]. A GARD2LS2178, 1991. [8] Wang Shi Cun. Helicopter Aerodynamics. Printery of Nanjing Aeronautical Institute(in chinese).1985. [9] Go Zheng, Chen Ren Liang. Helicopter Flight Dynamics . BeiJing: Science publishing Company(in chinese) , 2003 [10] Sandrine De Jesus Mota , Ruxandra Mihaela Botez .New identification method based on neural network for helicopters from flight test data AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference 10 - 13 August 2009, Chicago, Illinois

Figure 5.

Pitch angle rate

Figure 6.

roll angle rate

These figures tell that errors between calculated state variables and measured values are relatively small in the low frequency band while large in the high frequency domain. This is determined by many factors. Firstly, small perturbation theory used in the model building ignores a lot of disturbances.

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