Force/motion platform for dynamic aerodynamic measurements and simulated wind gusts on aerial vehicles

为了开发无人机在城市环境和阵风大气条件下飞行的鲁棒控制策略，需要建立准确可靠的无人机空气动力学模型以及无人机的稳定性和控制导数。拟议中的RTI设备将允许进行此类测量，并允许麦吉尔大学的航空航天研究人员在该领域开发其他大学无法复制的创新和独特的研究。这种无人机的空气动力学特性和建模需要对飞行器的所有六个轴(升起、摇摆、俯冲、侧滚、俯仰偏航)进行实验测量。据我们所知，目前还没有关于四旋翼无人机或垂直起降无人机的完整测量数据。为了获得这样的测量，需要一个具有足够大范围(±25o)的六自由度执行器以及一个六维力/扭矩传感器来测量所需的气动载荷。一种这样的致动器装置是六足机器人，或称Stewart平台--一种带有六个棱柱致动器的并联机器人，通过反向运动学控制-这是RTI拨款要求的。了解和模拟飞行器的稳定性导数的一个关键组成部分是了解飞行器将如何响应位置和姿态的动态变化，即由于阵风或操纵面的快速偏转。目前的风洞无法在所有六个轴上模拟这种情况，但是，一个能够在所有三个直线方向上以±1米/S的线速度移动，在所有三个旋转方向上的转速都达到100o/S的动态六足系统可以用来模拟这种阵风。拟议的RTI设备能够进行此类运动。开发这种先进的无人机控制策略，特别是允许无人机在阵风条件下自主飞行，将是一项重大突破，将进一步增强加拿大在该领域的竞争力。因此，它将确保在这种RTI设备上培训的HQP将拥有独特的知识和能力，包括CAE Inc.、Humanitas、SkyX和Kinova在内的许多航空航天公司将认为这些知识和能力是无价的。预计仅在未来两年内，就将有15名HQP接受这种RTI设备的培训，未来几年还会有更多人接受培训。

In order to develop robust control strategies for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) flying in urban environments and gusty atmospheric conditions, one needs to develop accurate and reliable models for the aerodynamics as well as the stability and control derivatives of the UAV. The proposed RTI equipment will allow such measurements to be taken and allow aerospace researchers at McGill to develop innovative and unique research in the field that no other universities are able to reproduce. The aerodynamic characterization and modelling for such UAV requires experimental measurements to be taken about all six axis of the vehicle (heave, sway, plunge, roll, pitch yaw). To the best of our knowledge, no complete measurements exist for quadrotor UAVs or vertical take-off and landing UAVs. In order to obtain such measurements, one requires a six degree of freedom actuator with sufficiently large ranges (±25o) as well as a six axis force/torque sensor to measure the required aerodynamic loads. One such actuator device is the hexapod, or Stewart platform - a parallel robot with six prismatic actuators controlled via inverse kinematics - which is requested from the RTI grant. A key component for understanding and modelling the stability derivatives of an aerial vehicle is the knowledge of how the vehicle will respond to dynamic changes in both position and attitude i.e. due to gusts of winds or rapid deflection of control surfaces. Current wind tunnels are unable to recreate such conditions in all six axis, however, a dynamic hexapod system capable of moving at linear speeds of up to ±1 m/s in all three linear directions and rotational speeds of up to 100o/s in all three rotational directions, can be used to simulate such wind gusts. The proposed RTI equipment is capable of doing such motions. The development of such advanced control strategies for UAV, specifically allowing them to fly autonomously in gusty conditions, would be a significant breakthrough and would further enhance Canada's competitiveness in the field. As such, it would ensure that the HQPs trained on this RTI equipment will have unique knowledge and capabilities that numerous aerospace companies, including CAE Inc, Humanitas, SkyX and Kinova, would find invaluable. A total of 15 HQPs are expected to be trained on this RTI equipment within the next two years alone, with numerous more in the years to come.