Determination of the relative motion between parafoil canopy and load using advanced video-image processing techniques

摘要

To determine the aerodynamic characteristics of a parafoil, it is necessary to measure the dynamic behavior of the canopy itself. ^Unfortunately, sensors and cables installed on parachute canopies are subject to very unfriendly conditions during the deployment and filling period. ^Therefore, the Institute of Flight Mechanics of DLR is focusing on another approach whereby all sensors are installed in the load beneath the parafoil. ^In addition to the motion of the load, the relative motion between the load and the canopy is determined using a video camera and advanced image processing techniques. ^The existing ALEX vehicle of the Institute will be used for validation tests. ^Inside the capsule, a video camera will be mounted looking upwards into the direction of the parafoil canopy. ^During flight, the movement of the canopy will be filmed and synchronized with other sensor data, which are collected in the on-board computer. ^After landing, the video will be processed off-line to generate time series of the relative attitude of the canopy with respect to the capsule. ^The paper describes the concept, gives details about the realization, and presents results of the qualification tests. ^(Author)