IN-FLIGHT IDENTIFICATION OF THE AUGMENTED FLIGHT DYNAMICS OF THE RMAX UNMANNED HELICOPTER

The flight dynamics of the Yamaha RMAX unmanned helicopter has been investigated, and mapped into a six degrees of freedom mathematical model. The model has been obtained by a combined black-box system identification technique and a classic model-based parameter identification approach. In particular, the closed-loop behaviour of the built-in attitude control system has been studied, to support the decision whether to keep it as inner stabilization loop or to develop an own stability augmentation system. The flight test method and the test instrumentation are described in detail; some samples of the flight test data are compared to the model outputs as validation, and an overall assessment of the built-in stabilization system is supplied.