Stretch

Aircraft System Identification and Control

Control theory is everywhere; from the autopilots in tiny drones, to the flight controllers in large passenger jets, from wind turbine blade controllers to active flow controllers for delaying laminar to turbulent flow transitions, and from the adaptive optics systems in giant planet finding telescopes to the human neuromuscular system.

Currently, we find ourselves on the eve of a new revolution in control theory. Central to this revolution is our ability to create and use high-fidelity nonlinear system models. Building on this ability, the long term goal of the System Identification and Control research group is to fundamentally improve the performance, safety, and efficiency of aerospace applications by developing and applying new mathematical modelling and control theory.

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Our research focuses on developing new mathematical modelling tools such as the multivariate B-splines, new system identification approaches for identifying models for tiny flapping aircraft (DelFly), and creating new models the stall regime of aircraft. These models are then used in flow control applications, flight envelope prediction and fault tolerant control of damaged aircraft, and control systems for flapping wing aircraft.

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