Rotorcraft flight control system design based on multi-criterion parametric optimization

Abstract

A new methodology for the design of flight control systems for high-performance rotorcraft is demonstrated. The method is based on multicriterion parametric optimization, as implemented in the software package CONSOL-OPTCAD. The method is interactive; a human designer works with the computer to create a good design. It is not necessary, nor is it expected, for the designer to ever reduce the design problem to a mathematical optimization problem. The method has been used to design a flight control system, with the Advanced Digital Optical Control Structure (ADOCS), for the UH-6OA RASCAL helicopter in hover. The design is shown to meet the Airworthiness Design Standard for military rotorcraft (ADS-33C) at Level 1. To further demonstrate the utility of the approach, a controller that also minimizes control energy was designed and several trade-off studies were performed.