The proliferation of small unmanned air vehicles (UAV) is due largely to the ready availability of parameterized flight control software that can be adapted to a variety of airframe designs and loading configurations. This availability of estimation, control, and navigation software has allowed UAV manufacturers to innovate rapidly without the prolonged process traditionally associated with flight control law design and envelope expansion. The appeal of a hastened production schedule can come at the expense of performance and robustness - factors that are easily dismissed in the absence of tuning criteria or stability metrics. UAVs operating in small numbers and in remote locations may not need the same exhaustive treatment of flight control software used for manned aircraft. However, as UAVs are used in greater numbers and in closer proximity to populations and infrastructure, it is imperative to develop a set of guidelines for safe and effective control design and human interface. The current research explores a subset of handling qualities specifications for a class of small rotary-wing aircraft in precision hover and flight path tracking tasks. Pilot rating and task performance are assessed with respect to time delay, stability margin, and flight control mode. These specifications are experimentally-derived using flight trials with representative UAVs and operators with a diverse set of qualifications and experience.
展开▼
