Novel Approach to Rotorcraft Simulation Fidelity Enhancement and Assessment

这项研究的愿景是开发一种新的飞行仿真逼真度增强工具集。这代表了模拟器鉴定的一个阶段性变化，对UoL发起的NATO STO AVT-296-RTG活动做出了重大贡献，并将通过与行业合作伙伴的合作产生直接影响。高保真建模和仿真是确保飞机设计和开发过程中决策信心的先决条件，包括性能和操纵品质估计，控制律开发，飞机动态载荷分析，并创建一个逼真的驾驶模拟环境。高置信度的评估/优化概念和模拟真实飞行员行为的能力是高质量飞行模拟的核心，飞行员可以通过培训熟练和安全地操作飞机，行业可以以较低的风险进行设计。CS-FSTD（H）和FAA AC 120 -63等监管标准描述了旋翼机飞行训练模拟器的认证标准和程序。这些文件详细说明了实现“适用性”所需的部件保真度，标准基于“公差”，定义为模拟和飞行之间可接受的差异，飞行模型通常为+/- 10%。然而，几十年来，这些标准一直没有更新，而在军事方面，北约国家的相关做法并不统一，往往是针对特定应用而制定的。更新模型以提高保真度的方法大多是临时性的，没有强大的科学基础，往往不是基于物理的。这项研究将为这种协调提供一个框架，消除采用基于物理的飞行建模的障碍，并将创建新的、更明智的标准。在这项研究中，保真度的两个方面将得到解决，预测保真度（标准中的度量和公差）和感知保真度（飞行员意见）。该研究的预测保真度方面将使用系统识别技术，为“增强”基于物理的仿真模型提供系统框架。感知逼真度研究将为特定任务的运动调整开发一个合理的，新颖的过程，以及用于捕获飞行员对模拟器整体逼真度的主观评估的鲁棒方法。在整个项目中，在预测和感知保真度研究中，将广泛使用飞行模拟和真实世界的飞行试验。

The vision for this research is to develop a novel toolset for flight simulation fidelity enhancement. This represents a step-change in simulator qualification, is well-timed making a significant contribution to the UoL initiated NATO STO AVT-296-RTG activity and will have an immediate impact through engagement with Industry partners.High fidelity modelling and simulation are prerequisites for ensuring confidence in decision making during aircraft design and development, including performance and handling qualities estimation, control law development, aircraft dynamic loads analysis, and the creation of a realistic piloted simulation environment. The ability to evaluate/optimise concepts with high confidence and stimulate realistic pilot behaviour are the kernels of quality flight simulation, in which pilots can train to operate aircraft proficiently and safely and industry can design with lower risk.Regulatory standards such as CS-FSTD(H) and FAA AC120-63 describe the certification criteria and procedures for rotorcraft flight training simulators. These documents detail the component fidelity required to achieve "fitness for purpose", with criteria based on "tolerances", defined as acceptable differences between simulation and flight, typically +/- 10% for the flight model. However, these have not been updated for several decades, while on the military side, the related practices in NATO nations are not harmonised and have often been developed for specific applications. Methods to update the models for improved fidelity are mostly ad-hoc and, without a strong scientific foundation, are often not physics-based. This research will provide a framework for such harmonisation removing the barriers to adopting physics-based flight modelling and will create new, more informed, standards. In this research two aspects of fidelity will be tackled, predictive fidelity (the metrics and tolerances in the standards) and perceptual fidelity (pilot opinion). The predictive fidelity aspect of the research will use System Identification techniques to provide a systematic framework for 'enhancing' a physics-based simulation model. The perceptual fidelity research will develop a rational, novel process for task-specific motion tuning together with a robust methodology for capturing pilots' subjective assessment of the overall fidelity of a simulator. Extensive use will be made of flight simulation and real-world flight tests throughout this project in both the predictive and perceptual fidelity research.