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a,*
KEYWORDS
Aerodynamics;
Experimental aerodynamics;
Flight vehicle design;
Multidisciplinary design
optimization;
Structural design
Abstract This paper presents a simple and useful modeling method to acquire a dynamics model
of an aerial vehicle containing unknown parameters using mechanism modeling, and then to design
different identication experiments to identify the parameters based on the sources and features of
its unknown parameters. Based on the mathematical model of the aerial vehicle acquired by
modeling and identication, a design for the structural parameters of the attitude control system
is carried out, and the results of the attitude control aps are veried by simulation experiments
and ight tests of the aerial vehicle. Results of the mathematical simulation and ight tests show
that the mathematical model acquired using parameter identication is comparatively accurate
and of clear mechanics, and can be used as the reference and basis for the structural design.
2013 Production and hosting by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of CSAA & BUAA.
Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
1. Introduction
The ducted fan aerial vehicle is a new kind of single-blade
rotor aircraft which is different from traditional xed-wing
craft and helicopters. This new kind of aerial vehicle has more
compact architecture and the attitude controls can deal with
more complex ow patterns. From the beginning of the
1990s, many countries have started research in this eld one
after another, and have developed different ducted aerial vehicles.1,2 Single-blade ducted aerial vehicles have shown great
potential in the military eld and humanitarian relief. In recent
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +86 10 68914332.
E-mail address: wangzhengjie@bit.edu.cn (Z. Wang).
Peer review under responsibility of Editorial Committee of CJA.
1000-9361 2013 Production and hosting by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of CSAA & BUAA. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cja.2013.10.006
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Z. Wang et al.
3
mu_ qw rv
6
7
4 mv_ ru pw 5
mw_ pv qu
3
Ix p_ qrIz Iy
6
7
sb 4 Iy q_ rpIx Iz 5
Iz r_ pqIy Ix
In the case of hovering or low speed and level ight, the main
forces of the ducted fan aerial vehicle include gravity, thrust
and moment caused by the power system, the controlling force
Fig. 1
Flight dynamics modeling of a small ducted fan aerial vehicle based on parameter identication
1441
The aerodynamic forces formed by the reaction torque control aps would produce a moment. This moment rotates
about the Ozb axis and dened by
3
2
0
7
6
0
sa 4
11
5
2
4qSa Ve CLa da CLa0 da
where fg, fr and fap are gravity , thrust and control force; and
sr, sap and sgero are thrust moment , control moment and spinning moment.
The explanation of the relative parameters is given below:
where CLa0 is the lift coefcients with zero angle of the deection, CLa the lift coefcient considering a linear dependency of
lift on the angular deection da, and da the distance from the
location of the gravity center to the plane which is decided
by the eight aerodynamic centers.
The attitude control aps install in the interior of the
ducted fan aerial vehicle, and they are positively under the
reaction torque control aps. The airfoil is the symmetry one
NACA0012,12,13 and the corresponding aerodynamic forces
and moments are given by
2
3
qSc V2e CLc dc2
6
7
fc4
12
qSc V2e CLc dc1
5
2
2
2
qSc Ve CDc dc1 dc2 CDc0
(1) Gravity
The gravitational force acting on the airplane acts at the
center of mass (the origin point Ob of the body axis), and its
direction is vertical downward. Because the body axis system
is xed at the center of gravity, the gravitational force will
not produce any moments. Therefore, we must transform the
gravitational force into its body-frame components to give:
f
mg cos h cos / T
3
qSc V2e CLc dc2 dc
6
7
sc 4 qSc V2e CLc dc1 dc 5
0
sflap
where the aerodynamic coefcients Kt produced by torque sr is
the parameter which needs to be identied.
(3) Aerodynamic forces and moments of the anti-torque
control aps and the attitude control aps
Because the anti-torque control aps use the axial
symmetry system, the aerodynamic forces will only generate
the resultant force corresponding with the Obzb axis:
2
3
0
6
7
0
fa4
10
5
2
2
4qSa Ve CDa da CDa0
where q the density of the air, Sa the effective lift area of one
anti-torque ap, Ve the relative wind velocity generated by the
propeller, CDa the drag coefcient for a term quadratic in da, da
the angle of the deection of the aps, and CDa0 the drag coefcient with zero angle of the deection.
13
3
qSc V2e CLc dc2 dc
6
7
sa sc 4
qSc V2e CLc dc1 dc
5
4qSa V2e CLa da CLa0 da
where
(
f1 4qSa V2e CDa d2a CDa0
f2 qSc V2e CDc d2c1 d2c2 CDc0
15
16
17
where Ip is the inertia moment of the propeller with highspeed, xe is the angular rate of the propeller.
1442
Z. Wang et al.
to the axis Obyb and axis Obxb respectively, denoted by dc. Here
da and dc are design values, where da = 0.08 m, dc = 0.2 m.
3.1.2. Rotational inertia
Ducted fan aerial vehicles are axial symmetry systems whose
origins of the coordinate frame of the airframe are set at
the position of the center of gravity. Its inertia moment is
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Table 1
Parameter type
Parameters included
Evaluation method
Structure
Aerodynamic
Motion
Controlling
Table 2
System name
Content
Mass (kg)
Airframe supporting the structure of the vehicle, undercarriage and other structures.
Attitude measurement unit, circuit board of the automatic pilot, connecting lines.
Anti-torque aps and pitching and rolling control aps.
Motor, propeller, electron speed regulator.
Cameras and wireless communication module.
Power batteries and cables.
Total take-o mass.
0.794
0.261
0.215
0.654
0.122
0.764
2.81
Flight dynamics modeling of a small ducted fan aerial vehicle based on parameter identication
Table 3
1443
Experimental parameters.
Parameter
Value
2.81
0.12
0.18
3.35
mgR2 R1 2
T
4p2 H 0
18
Table 4
Time
30 swing periods
1
2
3
4
5
79.7
79.3
80.1
79.0
79.6
Mean value
79.7
Table 5
So far, we have completed the identication of the structural parameters. The identication results of the structural
parameters are shown in Table 5.
3.2. Identication of aerodynamic parameters
3.2.1. Parameter identication related to rotor dynamics
The dynamic system of the ducted fan aerial vehicle mainly
contains the motor, the propeller, the electronic speed regulator, and batteries. The thrust output of the dynamic system,
the torque and the slip velocity caused by the propeller are
given, respectively, by
8
2 T
>
< f r 0 0 Kf n
T
19
sr 0 0 Kt n2
>
:
Ve Kv n
where Kv is the slip velocity coefcient of the dynamic system.
The parameters Kf, Kt and Kv are to be identied. Based on
the sources and features of these parameters, a thrust and torque testing platform was designed for the ducted fan aerial
vehicle.15 The schematic diagram is shown as Fig. 4.
Hence, this testing system is composed of an active testing
platform and a xed platform as shown in Fig. 4. The active platform combines with the xed one by the cylindrical linear guide
rail. The measured motor and propeller are installed on the active platform. During the testing experiment, motor can make
the propeller spin, and apply the pulling force and the torque
to the active platform. At the same time, the pressure sensor
and torque sensor can measure the pulling force and moment
through the cylindrical linear guide rail. The galvanometer, the
anemometer, and the tachometer are all behind the propeller,
and it is convenient to test the current of the motor and measure
the rotating speed and the sliding speed of the propeller timely.
This testing system integrates many types of measuring sensors,
including the pressure sensor, the torque sensor, the anemometer
and the tachometer. The experimental apparatus for testing the
dynamic system is shown in Fig. 5.
The data for the testing of the dynamic system are recorded
in Table 6.
Identication results.
Parameter
Value
2.81
0.08
0.20
0.0391
0.0391
0.0304
Fig. 4
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Z. Wang et al.
3.2.2. Parameter identication for drag and lift
The attitude control aps of the ducted fan aerial vehicle are
located within the ow eld of the wake ow caused by the
propeller in the duct. Due to the ring effect of the duct, the
features of the ow eld within the duct are clearly different
from that of an open ow eld. Therefore, the parameters
for traditional airfoil vehicles, such as the lift coefcient and
the drag coefcient, are not applicable in this situation, and
the parameter identication needs to be re-conducted.
Fig. 5
Kv 2:17 103
Table 6
Time (ms)
Thrust (N)
Torque (Nm)
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
430
1438
2538
3559
4572
5642
6750
7590
8230
0.4
2.1
4.6
8.2
13.1
18.3
26.1
33.2
40.2
0.010
0.025
0.057
0.105
0.141
0.215
0.302
0.391
0.483
2.3
4.7
6.9
9.1
10.8
13.4
16.1
18.1
19.2
Flight dynamics modeling of a small ducted fan aerial vehicle based on parameter identication
Table 7
1445
0
2
4
6
8
10
Lift
Drag
Lift
Drag (102)
0.017
0.305
0.583
0.793
1.155
1.392
0.121
0.141
0.161
0.214
0.249
0.355
0.216
0.221
0.219
0.213
0.226
0.218
0.306
0.311
0.308
0.310
0.313
0.321
The airfoil proles and sizes of the four pitching and rolling
aps are the same. During the simulation experiments, we only
need to examine the force situation of one control ap. The
aerodynamic lift on the surface of the control ap can be
obtained by using the nite element simulation method. Data
tting for the aerodynamic lift leads to
Lc 0:1432dc 0:0005
21
22
in which,
8
2
>
< q 1:205 kg=m
Sc 0:01 m2
>
:
Ve 16:7 m=s
Join the data tting Eq. (21) with the lift Eq. (22) to get
1
qSc V2e CLc dc 0:1432dc
2
That is to say:
CLc 8:5 102
By the same procedure, coefcients related to drag can be calculated:
CDc 1:3 103
CDc0 7:47 102
So far, the identication of aerodynamic parameters has
basically been completed. The identication results of the aerodynamic parameters are presented in Table 8.
3.2.3. Dynamic model discussion
(1) Overall dynamic equation
The above parameters are substituted into the dynamics
Eq. (5) to obtain the following ight dynamics model for
single-blade ducted aerial vehicles:
2
3
mg sin h qSc V2e CLc dc2
6
7
6
7
mg cos h sin / qSc V2e CLc dc1
6
7
6 mg cos h cos / Kf n2 4qSa V2 CDa d2 CDa0 7
4
5
e
a
qSc V2e CDc d2c1 d2c2 CDc0
2
3
mu_ qw rv
6
7
4 mv_ ru pw 5
mw_ pv qu
23
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Z. Wang et al.
Table 8
Identication results.
Parameter
Value
5.97 108
7.6 109
2.7 103
1.358 101
3.23 102
8.5 102
1.3 103
7.47 102
2
6
4
3
2
Ix p_ qrIz Iy
7 6 _
7
5 4 Iy q rpIx Iz 5
Iz r_ pqIy Ix
Kt n2 4qSa V2e CLa da CLa0 da
qSc V2e CLc dc2 dc Ip xe q
qSc V2e CLc dc1 dc Ip xe p
24
(2) Attitude control model
The paper is mainly about the attitude model of the ducted
fan aerial vehicle, and gives the relevant designs of the control
aps. The dynamic equations of the pitch and roll attitude
loop are as
L Ix p_ qrIz Iy
25
M Iy q_ rpIx Iz
According to Eq. (24), the corresponding aerodynamic moments can be derived as
(
L qSc V2e CLc dc2 dc Ip xe q
26
M qSc V2e CLc dc1 dc Ip xe p
In applying the assumption of the small-disturbance theory,
Eq. (25) can be simplied:
8
oL
oL
oL
>
>
< DL on Dn od Ddc2 oq Dq
c2
27
>
oM
oM
oL
>
: DM
Dn
Ddc1
Dp
on
odc1
op
where DL and DM are changes of rolling moment and pitching
moment; Dp and Dq are state variables, denoting the angular
rates of the pitching and rolling of the aerial vehicle respectively, Ddc1 and Ddc2 are control variables, denoting the angles
of deection of the control aps in the pitching and rolling
directions; and Dn is the change of propeller speed.
Substitute the results of the identied parameters into Eq.
(27), we can get
8
oL oM
>
>
0
>
>
on
on
>
>
< oL
oM
12:05dc Sc
28
od
od
>
c1
>
> c2
>
>
oL oM
>
:
2:36
oq
op
Thus, the dynamic equations of the attitude control loop
can be obtained as
2:41Sc Ddc2 2:36Dq Ix Dp_
29
2:41Sc Ddc1 2:36Dp Iy Dq_
Based on Eq. (29), what the paper researched next is about
the design of the control aps.
4. Completion of the design for the control aps using the model
obtained based on the identication
4.1. Design for control aps
The effective lift surface area Sc and the length of the arm of
the acting force dc of the control aps need to be conrmed.
These are also the design variables of the design of the control
aps. The structural and aerodynamic parameters obtained in
Section 3 are substituted into Eq. (29), the ight dynamics
model of the aerial vehicle in Section 2, and then the method
of small disturbance and linearization is used to obtain the
following state space expression of the ducted aerial vehicle:
Dp_
0
1:05 Dp
Dq_
1:05
0
Dq
30
0
308:18dc Sc Ddc1
308:18dc Sc
0
Ddc2
where Dp and Dq are system state variables, denoting, respectively, the angular velocities of the pitching and rolling of the
aerial vehicle. Ddc1 and Ddc2 are controlled by the system,
denoting the angles of deection of the control aps in the
pitching and rolling directions.
According to the actual ight data of the aerial vehicle, the
aerial vehicle will be disturbed by the external environmental
conditions, such as a crosswind. The disturbance quantity will
cause the airframe of the ducted aerial vehicle to have an
angular velocity of about 10 ()/s. In this circumstance, assume
that the control aps of the aerial vehicle have reached their
maximum controlling-position for controlling the vehicle.
The state variables Dp = Dq = 12 ()/s and the control variables Ddc1 = Ddc2 = 12 are substituted into Eq. (30), which
are obtained by ight tests. Then, the conditional expression
of the controllability of the aerial vehicle is resolved to nd
that
Dp_ Dq_ 10:5 3698:16dc Sc < 0
That is to say,
dc Sc > 0:0028
A larger value for dc indicates a closer distance to the bottom of the duct. For convenience when conducting the process
and the experiment, it is best to make dc as large as possible.
Additionally, the increase of dc will enlarge the space for the
value design of aerodynamic chord of control ap. Therefore,
in this paper, the value of dc is set as 0.25 m, and thus the lift
area of the control ap Sc is larger than 0.0144 m2.
Flight dynamics modeling of a small ducted fan aerial vehicle based on parameter identication
(a) Outdoor
(b) Indoor
Fig. 8 Outdoor and indoor ight tests of the ducted fan aerial
vehicle.
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Wang Zhengjie is an associate professor and Ph.D. supervisor at
School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology,
Beijing, China. She received the Ph.D. degree from the same university
in 2001. Her current research interests are small aircraft design and
guidance and control for UAV.