A novel design and control solution for an aircraft sidestick actuator based on Halbach permanent magnet machine

The main objective is to provide a new design structure and a control solution that ensures maintaining high performance specifications for the actuator and respects the set of constraints required by the considered aeronautical application. Indeed, this study achieved in a partnership with an industrial center of excellence for Fly by Wire Cockpit Controls (side sticks, rudder controls, thrust controls), proposes a novel design that enhances the characteristics of the actuator's structure and the human machine interface between the pilot and the aircraft. Then, a new control strategy is proposed to optimize the efficiency of this actuator for the considered application. It is based on a discrete optimal adaptive sliding mode control considering time delays and uncertainties in the model by using a delay ahead predictor. The proposed strategy combines an optimal sliding mode surface with the delay ahead predictor in an adaptive control structure. Indeed, a varying parameter is used to achieve an ”on-line” adaption to the varying level of disturbances that affects the system. Then, since the sidestick actuator is designed to handle an aircraft displacement, the proposed control strategy is designed for position tracking. Simulations performed on the previously designed actuator prove the efficiency of the proposed technological solution for aircraft position control.