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Optimization of the equivalent mechanical characteristics of active side sticks for piloting a controlled helicopter

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Abstract

Active side sticks offer the possibility to adjust the force-feel characteristics to account for various piloting tasks and flight conditions. This promises a decrease in pilot workload and an increase in handling qualities. However, the optimum force-feel characteristics are not well understood and modeled; therefore, their tuning still rely on experimental methods. Experimental pilot-in-the-loop methods are time-consuming, expensive and have to be repeated with every change in control law dynamics. If a purely mathematical method for force characteristics optimization could be developed based on a better understanding of the principles underlying good force-feel systems, then the optimization could be done more efficiently and offline. This paper presents our current developments and achievements towards this new understanding to assess if and how a purely mathematical method could be derived from selected experiments. Even if this final goal could not be derived yet, the paper presents the selected approach and the lessons learned so far. More precisely, a simulator-based experiment was developed to provide the data for the later analyses and the identification of mathematical models suitable for that purpose. For this experiment, a roll tracking task is considered whose evaluation is based on both a qualitative (Cooper–Harper rating) and a quantitative criterion. The very encouraging results obtained so far on this scenario are detailed.

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Abbreviations

AC:

Attitude command

DLR:

Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt

EC:

Eurocopter

FHS:

Flying helicopter simulator

RC:

Rate command

RMS:

Root mean square

t :

Time

Φt :

Target helicopter roll angle

Φe :

Roll angle error

Φa :

Actual helicopter roll angle

δ Lat :

Side stick deflection

F :

Force

ω s :

Side stick eigenfrequency

ω N :

Neuromuscular eigenfrequency

k :

Spring constant

D :

Relative side stick damping

τ P :

Pilot time delay

τ H :

Helicopter time delay

s :

Laplace parameter

G :

Gain

\( L_{{\delta_{\text{Lat}} }} \) :

Lateral control effectiveness

p :

Roll rate

\( \dot{p} \) :

Roll acceleration

\( \ddot{p} \) :

Jerk

m :

Side stick mass

b :

Viscose damping

ς N :

Relative neuromuscular damping

L p :

Roll damping derivative

\( L_{{{\dot{\text{p}}}}} \) :

Roll damping derivative

K P :

Proportional gain, pilot gain

K I :

Integral gain

T L :

Lead time constant

T I :

Lag time constant

T K :

Low-frequency lead time constant

T K′ :

Low-frequency lag time constant

T N1 :

Neuromuscular high-frequency lag time constant

K AR1, K AR2 :

Air resonance term coefficients nominator

K AR1′, K AR2′ :

Air resonance term coefficients denominator

F Correction :

Side stick correction function

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Flight Systems, Lilienthalplatz 7, 38108, Braunschweig, Germany

    Daniel Nonnenmacher & Mario Müllhäuser

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  1. Daniel Nonnenmacher
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  2. Mario Müllhäuser
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Correspondence to Daniel Nonnenmacher.

Additional information

This paper is based on a presentation at the German Aerospace Congress, September 27–29, 2011, Bremen, Germany.

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Nonnenmacher, D., Müllhäuser, M. Optimization of the equivalent mechanical characteristics of active side sticks for piloting a controlled helicopter. CEAS Aeronaut J 2, 157–170 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-011-0022-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13272-011-0022-8

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