Light helicopters are used for a variety of applications, attracting users from the private and public market segments because of their agility and convenient storage capabilities. However, most light helicopters on the market today are designed and manufactured with technologies dating back to the 1980s, with safety issues to be addressed by advanced design methods, more powerful engines, and innovative solutions. In this regard, the DISRUPT (Development of an innovative and safe ultralight, two-seater turbine helicopter) project, lead by Curti Aerospace Division (Italy) and co-funded by EU H2020 program, represents a state-of-the-art concept for a novel ultralight helicopter, equipped with a ballistic parachute. In order to validate the first parachute ejection in a safe scenario, a dronization process was selected as a viable solution to be performed in collaboration with the University of Bologna. In the present paper, the steps followed to transform the helicopter into an unmanned vehicle are detailed according to the Model-Based Design approach, with particular attention to the mathematical modeling, the control system design, and the experimental validation. Obtained results also demonstrate the feasibility of using a civil helicopter first as a remotely-piloted system and then as an highly-automated personal transportation system, in the direction of smart and sustainable air mobility.
TOWARD SMART AIR MOBILITY: CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN AND EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION FOR AN UNMANNED LIGHT HELICOPTER
de Angelis E. L.
;Giulietti F.;Rossetti G.;Turci M.;
2022
Abstract
Light helicopters are used for a variety of applications, attracting users from the private and public market segments because of their agility and convenient storage capabilities. However, most light helicopters on the market today are designed and manufactured with technologies dating back to the 1980s, with safety issues to be addressed by advanced design methods, more powerful engines, and innovative solutions. In this regard, the DISRUPT (Development of an innovative and safe ultralight, two-seater turbine helicopter) project, lead by Curti Aerospace Division (Italy) and co-funded by EU H2020 program, represents a state-of-the-art concept for a novel ultralight helicopter, equipped with a ballistic parachute. In order to validate the first parachute ejection in a safe scenario, a dronization process was selected as a viable solution to be performed in collaboration with the University of Bologna. In the present paper, the steps followed to transform the helicopter into an unmanned vehicle are detailed according to the Model-Based Design approach, with particular attention to the mathematical modeling, the control system design, and the experimental validation. Obtained results also demonstrate the feasibility of using a civil helicopter first as a remotely-piloted system and then as an highly-automated personal transportation system, in the direction of smart and sustainable air mobility.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
