Abstract
In this paper, we present a real-time optimal controller, Predictive Steering Control (PSC), to perform high-speed runway exit manoeuvres. PSC is developed based on a time-varying LQR with look-ahead. The aircraft’s ground dynamics are described by a high-fidelity nonlinear model. The proposed controller is compared with an Expert Pilot Model (EPM), which represents a pilot, in several different speed runway exit manoeuvres. With an improved road preview mechanism and optimal feedback gain, the predictive steering controller outperforms the expert pilot’s manual operations by executing the runway exit manoeuvre with a lower track error. To investigate the optimality of PSC, its solution is further optimised using a numerical optimal controller Generalized Optimal Control (GOC). PSC is shown to be close to the final optimal solution. To study robustness, PSC is tested with various aircraft configurations, road conditions and disturbances. The simulation results show that PSC is robust to disturbances within a normal range of operational parameters.
Highlights
In recent year, the aviation industry has seen large growth to meet rising demand of air passengers
We model the aircraft ground dynamics with a fully parameterised 6-DOF tricycle model with parameters chosen to represent a medium sized passenger aircraft, for example, A320
Taking advantage of 20 s of road preview, the controller starts to steer in advance to the corner
Summary
The aviation industry has seen large growth to meet rising demand of air passengers. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects the number of passengers to double to 7.8 billion in 2036.1 It is an enormous test for air terminals and carriers to improve existing operating frameworks and satisfy this fundamental need throughout the following two decades. While great effort has been put on route and computerisation in flight, aircraft ground manoeuvres are as yet made exclusively based on pilots’ visual recognition and manual controls on engine thrust, control surfaces, steering and braking. The airport operating efficiency and quality can be improved by automation of ground manoeuvres under various runway ambient conditions. A stable and robust controller could potentially execute a faster runway turn-off than a pilot could achieve. There are potential related economic advantages from reducing a given aircraft’s time spent on the runway, possibly allowing more aircraft to use existing infrastructure
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