The proposed research will explore innovative flight control methodologies combining recent advances in system identification, novel flight sensors, and neural network based adaptive flight control design to develop a new, high bandwidth flight controller architecture capable of rejecting the disturbing effects of wind gusts and turbulence. The proposed controller architecture will be most appropriate for small rotary-wing VTOL UAVs weighing less than about 70 kg (150 lbs.) and having a hover flight mode in which the rotor(s) primarily produce a lifting force and a forward flight mode where the rotor(s) primarily produce a thrust force.
Benefit: The proposed architecture will improve the stationkeeping and flight trajectory tracking of small, agile, UAVs in a maritime environment. The controller would increase the effectiveness of UAVs for ISR missions in urban or other environments that are subject to wind gusts and turbulent conditions.
Keywords: ISR, ISR, flight controls, VTOL, autopilot, UAV, UAS, ship launch and recovery, Autonomous
