Description:

Aircraft flight control systems typically use feedback control sensors that measure parameters such as vehicle attitude, pressure, and acceleration. This works well for controlling the flight dynamics of a rigid vehicle. Increasingly flexible vehicles require consideration of the vehicle structural dynamics to ensure adverse control system interaction is avoided and if necessary, the vehicle structural dynamics are actively controlled as well. Multi-purpose control systems would control both the vehicle flight dynamics and structural dynamics. X-56A demonstrated active control of the vehicle structural dynamics by flying past the body freedom flutter speed while maintaining vehicle control.

Benefits: Using an updated FOSS processing system and new Doppler FOSS analysis algorithm, distributed velocity information can be calculated throughout the entire structure where FOSS is installed. Doppler FOSS enables full state feedback control based on direct measurements, which improves controller robustness and performance. These improvements also enable implementation for new control laws with applications such as controlling flexible vehicles. This CIF seeks to perform a ground test using the X56A wings to validate the Doppler FOSS system for future control application.