Rudder Loss Recovery Autopilot System for a Small Fixed-Wing Aircraft

Abstract

This paper presents an integrated way of development of an aircraft dynamic modeling including stability and control derivatives and ensuing autopilot design. Stability derivatives are calculated via an automated procedure using a spreadsheet method that is consistent with the MATLAB/Simulink block of the subject aircraft. Bifilar pendulum experiment is used to obtain the actual moment of inertias of the aircraft. The loop shaping control approach is implemented for the stabilizer mode of the subject autopilot system to decouple different command channels of the MIMO system. The system is built in MATLAB/Simulink environment.