Total Energy Based Flight Control System Design for a Lift-Plus-Cruise Urban Air Mobility Concept

摘要

The novel Urban Air Mobility and On-Demand Mobility aircraft being actively developed today have configurations that differ significantly from conventional fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, as well as multi-rotor/distributed propulsion systems that are electric or hybrid-electric in nature. It is likely that the first generation designs will be highly-augmented vehicles operated by pilots who have less training than commercial airline pilots. As a result, there is a strong need for research on (ⅰ) stability and control characteristics of these configurations; (ⅱ) development of flight control systems aimed at Simplified Vehicle Operations; and (ⅲ) interactions of pilots with the flight control and other vehicle systems. This paper discusses the design of a Total Energy Control System and Total Heading Control System for a lift-plus-cruise Urban Air Mobility vehicle concept. Both inner and outer loop control design are discussed for the vehicle's entire flight regime, with a focus on achieving seamless transition between vertical and forward flight modes without adding to pilot workload. Some aspects of the flight control system and its characteristics are demonstrated through some piloted simulations performed using one of the Vehicle Systems, Dynamics, and Design Laboratory's flight simulators.