DEVELOPMENT OF NEW-GENERATION AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR WING-IN-GROUND EFFECT CRAFTS & AMPHIBIOUS SEAPLANES

Smooth flight at low and extremely low altitude over disturbed sea surface as well as landing of water-borne aircrafts (seaplanes) require application of special methods and means of motion control which are capable to solve the corresponding peculiar problems. Methods of stability provision and solving some other vital problems of WIG flight by means of automatic control are analyzed1. Modern means of automatic control are proposed including precision instruments (designed radio-altimeter and 3-D Time of Flight based onboard sensor) developed for such purposes as well as control laws synthesis algorithms have been described. The aim of investigation is to define the way for operational performance improvement of such amphibious vehicles having sophisticated and highly unstable design. An important way is by implementation of modern navigation and motion control systems. Experience and achievements in this field of high-end technology are described.