Aerodynamic Modeling Using Flight Data
AssigneeU.S.A. as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsJay Brandon, Eugene A. Morelli
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Abstract
Systems and methods are described for development of a nonlinear global aerodynamic model using fuzzy logic modeling as well as multivariate orthogonal function modeling with splines. The systems and methods described herein may be utilized to more quickly develop a global aerodynamic model of an aircraft, allowing for development of a global aerodynamic model of an aircraft in real-time, during a test flight, and reducing time and cost associated with the model development.
Claims20
A method of modeling aircraft aerodynamics, comprising:
- receiving an indication of control inputs at a full-scale aircraft during a test flight;
- responsive to the control inputs, obtaining sensor data from one or more sensors on the aircraft during the test flight;
- selecting one or more explanatory variables from the sensor data;
- calculating one or more membership functions for each of the one or more explanatory variables;
- defining a plurality of fuzzy cell internal functions, wherein a fuzzy cell internal function from the plurality of fuzzy cell internal functions comprises a membership function, from the one or more membership functions;
- determining a model output as a weighted sum of the plurality of fuzzy cell internal functions;
- and
- predicting an aerodynamic performance characteristic of the aircraft using the model output.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor are configured to cause a processor to perform at least:
- receiving, responsive to control inputs to an aircraft during a test flight, sensor data from one or more sensors on the aircraft;
- selecting one or more explanatory variables from the sensor data;
- generating a plurality of multivariate functions using the one or more explanatory variables;
- generating a plurality of orthogonal modeling functions from the plurality of multivariate functions;
- generating an output model comprising one or more of the plurality of orthogonal modeling functions that minimize a predicted square error, and
- predicting a flight characteristic of the aircraft using the output model.
A computer-implemented method for modeling aircraft aerodynamics, comprising:
- applying control inputs to an aircraft during a test flight;
- receiving, responsive to the applied control inputs, sensor data from one or more sensors on the aircraft;
- selecting one or more explanatory variables from the sensor data;
- fitting a nonlinear model to the received sensor data as a function of the selected one or more explanatory variables;
- and
- generating an aerodynamics output model comprising the fitted nonlinear model.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.