Transition Flight Control Simulations of Bioinspired FWMAV with Extended Unsteady Vortex-Lattice Method

Abstract

This study carries out the transient flight control simulation of a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle using Extended Unsteady Vortex-Lattice Method. This method uses the panel method and unsteady vortex-lattice (UVLM) method including the leading-edge suction analogy for leading-edge vortices (LEVs) effect and the vortex-core growth model for the effect of eddy viscosity in the vortex wake. This method has advantages in that it requires relatively less computational cost compared to CFD and provides more precise aerodynamic forces and moments than the conventional quasi-steady aerodynamic model. Based on the multibody dynamic analysis with the aerodynamic model, gain-scheduling LQR controller is designed for non-linear system to track reference input.