Assessing the Impact of Aerodynamic Modelling on Manoeuvring Aircraft

Da Ronch, A., McCracken, A. J., Badcock, K. J., Hesse, H. and Palacios, R. (2014) Assessing the Impact of Aerodynamic Modelling on Manoeuvring Aircraft. In: AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, National Harbor, MD, USA, 13-17 Jan 2014, ISBN 9781624103162 (doi: 10.2514/6.2014-0732)

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of aerodynamic models on the dynamic response of a free-flying aircraft wing. Several options for the aerodynamics are evaluated, from two-dimensional thin aerofoil aerodynamics and unsteady vortex-lattice method up to computational fluid dynamics. A nonlinear formulation of the rigid body dynamics is used in all cases. Results are generated using a numerical framework that will allow in the near future multi-disciplinary fluid/structure/flight analysis. In this paper, flexibility effects are neglected. A validation for fluid/flight models is presented. The well-established approach based on stability derivatives is also used, and is found in good agreement with solutions obtained from linear aerodynamic models. The uncertainties in predicted trajectories of the free-flying wing are, in general, large and attributed to the aerodynamics only. This suggests that a careful control law synthesis should be done to account for uncertainties from modelling techniques.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hesse, Dr Henrik
• Authors: Da Ronch, A., McCracken, A. J., Badcock, K. J., Hesse, H., and Palacios, R.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Autonomous Systems and Connectivity
• ISBN: 9781624103162