Flight Control SUbscale Flight Testing (FCoSUFT)

Purpose and goal

The aim is to use the methodology developed in previous NFFP projects including rapid prototyping and 3D printing to design a radio-controlled demonstrator aircraft and to implement both current and potential future variants of control laws. The goal is to manufacture a 3D-printed radio-controlled aircraft and fly it with the implemented control systems including sensors, avionics, actuators and control laws. Being able to do this in a flying demonstrator in a flexible way so that components and control laws can be easily changed will be a challenging task.

Expected effects and result

The expected effect is that new types of control laws can be used in the work on next-generation fighter aircraft that is underway in Sweden. Testing of new innovative control laws, using the proposed method, mitigates high-risk or unforeseen problems by being able to print new parts. In this way, efficient testing can be carried out in design projects. This will reduce time and costs for a project. The result is that a flying demo platform is available to test new control laws. This can give Swedish aeronautical research a benefit in international research projects.

Planned approach and implementation

The implementation and project layout is based on the data that is available on the existing demo platform, GFF, and to create a simulation framework for this in a way that makes it easy to implement and test different control laws for the flight tests. A radio-controlled demonstrator will be 3D-printed and put together with other systems such as sensors, avionics and landing gear. When the control laws have been verified and validated in the simulation environment, they will be implemented in the demonstrator and then test flown. The results will be analyzed and reported.