Identification of Aerodynamic Parameters for a Small UAV from Flight Data

摘要

This paper presents the preliminary results of a time-domain parameter identification effortwith flight data collected at West Virginia University (WVU) using a Small UnmannedAerial Vehicle (UAV) – the WVU “Phastball”. Traditional doublet maneuvers on thelongitudinal and lateral channels were performed by a Remote Control (R/C) pilot. Fromthe flight data, a linear state space model was first derived using the Matlab~? SystemIdentification toolbox and then optimized using System IDentification Programs forAirCraft (SIDPAC) software package. The optimized linear state space model was then usedto generate the aerodynamic coefficients, which were in turn optimized using a non-linearoptimization technique and their accuracy validated within a Simulink simulator. Theaircraft model thus identified will be used in the design, implementation and flight testvalidation of fault tolerant flight control schemes on the WVU Phastball.