24
C-20A Precision Autopilot Development in Support of NASA’s UAVSAR Program Ethan Baumann DFRC UAVSAR Principle Investigator
C-2
0A P
reci
sion
Aut
opilo
t Dev
elop
men
tin
Sup
port
ofN
ASA
’s U
AVSA
R P
rogr
am
Eth
an B
aum
ann
DFR
C U
AV
SA
R P
rinci
ple
Inve
stig
ator
Page
2
•Th
e pr
imar
y ob
ject
ive
of th
e U
AV
SA
R P
roje
ct is
to:
•D
evel
op a
min
iatu
rized
pol
arim
etric
L-b
and
synt
hetic
ape
rture
rada
r (S
AR
) for
use
on a
n un
man
ned
aeria
l veh
icle
(UA
V) o
r min
imal
ly p
ilote
d ve
hicl
e
•R
oles
& R
espo
nsib
ilitie
s•
JPL •
Lead
cen
ter t
hat w
ill d
esig
n, fa
bric
ate,
inst
all a
nd o
pera
te th
e ra
dar
inst
rum
ent,
deve
lop
proc
essi
ng a
lgor
ithm
s an
d co
nduc
t dat
a an
alys
is•
Dry
den
Flig
ht R
esea
rch
Cen
ter (
DFR
C)
•M
anag
e th
e de
velo
pmen
t of p
od d
esig
n, fa
bric
atio
n an
d de
liver
y to
JP
L•
Del
iver
RP
I int
erim
pla
tform
and
long
term
ope
ratio
nal p
latfo
rm•
NA
SA’
s C
-20A
sel
ecte
d as
the
inte
rim p
latfo
rm•
Lead
the
plat
form
mod
ifica
tion
effo
rt an
d he
ad u
p fli
ght o
pera
tions
of t
hepl
atfo
rm•
Dev
elop
Pla
tform
Pre
cisi
on A
utop
ilot (
PP
A) c
apab
ility
•To
tal A
ircra
ft S
ervi
ces,
Inc.
(TA
S)
•U
nder
con
tract
to p
erfo
rm C
-20A
mod
ifica
tions
and
pod
fabr
icat
ion
•Fi
rst F
light
of S
AR
on
C-2
0A e
xpec
ted
Fall
‘06
UA
VS
AR
Pro
gram
Page
3
•Ai
rcra
ft G
oal
•Pr
ovid
e a
rese
arch
test
-bed
for N
ASA,
the
Air F
orce
, and
oth
er g
over
nmen
tag
enci
es w
ith a
long
-term
cap
abilit
y fo
r effi
cien
t tes
t of s
ubso
nic
fligh
tex
perim
ents
.•
“Shi
rt sl
eeve
” env
ironm
ent
•R
esea
rch
Infra
stru
ctur
e•
G-II
I firs
t flig
ht in
Dec
embe
r 197
9•
Der
ived
from
G-II
whi
ch fi
rst f
lew
in 1
966
•D
FRC
’s G
-III m
anuf
actu
red
in e
arly
’80s
•Ai
rcra
ft D
imen
sion
s•
Win
g: s
pan
77 ft
10
in; a
rea
934.
6 ft^
2•
Fuse
lage
and
tail:
len
gth
83 ft
1 in
; hei
ght 2
4 ft
4.5
in•
Airc
raft
Perfo
rman
ce•
Max
Mac
h - 0
.85
•M
ax O
pera
ting
altit
ude
- 45K
ft•
Nor
mal
cru
ise
– 45
9 kt
s•
Ran
ge –
340
0 na
utic
al m
iles
(full
pass
enge
rs)
•C
limb
– 4,
049
fpm
•La
rge
Inte
rnal
Vol
ume
(150
0 cu
. Ft.)
NA
SA
DFR
C’s
C-2
0A /
G-II
I Airc
raft
Page
4
UA
VS
AR
Sys
tem
Hig
h Le
vel A
rchi
tect
ure
Ove
rall
Sys
tem
Con
figur
atio
n
PPA
Gro
und
Dat
aS
yste
m
Rad
arD
GPS
INU
Ant
enna
Pod
DC
Pow
er
GPS
AIri
dium
Plat
form
Rad
ar
DG
PS
GD
S
Not
e: N
ot to
Sca
leFMS*
*FM
S =
Flig
htM
anag
emen
t Sys
tem
Page
5
Pod
Des
ign
Loca
tion
on C
-20A
FS 2
60.2
33
2 de
g N
ose
Dow
n C
ant
Page
6
Pod
Des
ign
Ext
erna
l Vie
ws
MA
U-1
2
Coo
ling
Duc
tIn
lets
Fron
tVi
ew
Rea
rVi
ew
Page
7
Pla
tform
Pre
cisi
on A
utop
ilot (
PP
A) T
asks
•D
evel
op C
-20A
Pla
tform
Pre
cisi
on A
utop
ilot (
PP
A) t
o su
ppor
tU
AV
SA
R p
roje
ct.
•H
ardw
are
& S
oftw
are
Dev
elop
men
t•
Fina
l pro
duct
is a
“car
e-fre
e” p
reci
sion
aut
opilo
t for
ope
ratio
n by
end
user
s
•D
evel
op C
-20A
Sim
ulat
ion
to s
uppo
rt P
PA
dev
elop
men
t
Page
8
PP
A D
evel
opm
ent P
lan
•O
vera
ll A
ppro
ach
•D
evel
op th
e ha
rdw
are
and
initi
al s
oftw
are
to w
ork
out t
he k
inks
in th
e sy
stem
and
dem
onst
rate
feas
ibili
ty o
f the
app
roac
h•
Initi
al s
oftw
are
is d
esig
ned
to b
e fle
xibl
e w
ith u
ploa
dabl
e pa
ram
eter
s•
Alg
orith
ms
are
all i
n M
atla
b/S
imul
ink
and
auto
-cod
ed w
ith e
mbe
dded
code
r•
Muc
h of
the
initi
al s
oftw
are
deve
lopm
ent e
ffort
is g
eare
d to
war
dsde
velo
ping
tool
s to
allo
w fo
r rap
id s
oftw
are
upda
tes.
•G
oal o
f qua
lifyi
ng fl
ight
sof
twar
e in
und
er 1
wee
k.
•R
efin
e th
e co
ntro
ller a
nd n
avig
atio
n al
gorit
hm p
erfo
rman
ce b
ased
on
fligh
tte
stin
g•
Upd
ate
sim
ulat
ion
and
linea
r mod
els
as a
ppro
pria
te
•Fi
nal P
rodu
ct is
sof
twar
e su
itabl
e fo
r ope
ratio
n by
end
use
rs•
Gai
n ta
bles
par
t of c
ontro
ller
•E
nhan
ced
softw
are
rest
rictio
ns•
Add
ition
al e
nhan
cem
ents
Page
9
•P
PA
Cyc
le I
Con
trolle
r Tes
t Flig
hts
(2-3
flig
hts)
•D
escr
iptio
n: I
nitia
l flig
ht te
st o
f clo
sed-
loop
PP
A•
Obj
ectiv
e: D
emon
stra
te c
lose
d-lo
op o
pera
tion
of P
PA
•S
econ
dary
Obj
ectiv
e of
dem
onst
ratin
g 10
m tu
be p
erfo
rman
ce
•C
ycle
II C
ontro
ller T
est F
light
s(3
-5 fl
ight
s)•
Des
crip
tion:
Flig
ht te
st o
f rev
ised
PP
A a
pply
ing
less
ons
lear
ned
from
prev
ious
flig
hts.
•O
bjec
tive:
Dem
onst
rate
10
m (3
2.8
ft) tu
be p
erfo
rman
ce.
Dem
onst
rate
PP
A p
erfo
rman
ce a
t an
expa
nded
set
of t
est p
oint
s
•C
ycle
III C
ontro
ller T
est F
light
s(2
-3 fl
ight
s)•
Des
crip
tion:
Flig
ht te
st o
f rev
ised
PP
A•
Obj
ectiv
e: D
emon
stra
te “c
are-
free”
ope
ratio
n fo
r UA
VS
AR
RP
Iap
plic
atio
n. E
xpan
ded
set o
f tes
t poi
nts.
PP
A D
evel
opm
ent F
light
Tes
t Pla
n
Page
10
Pla
tform
Pre
cisi
on A
utop
ilot (
PP
A)
Prim
ary
Pro
ject
Lev
el R
equi
rem
ents
•M
aint
ain
fligh
t with
in a
10
m (3
2.8f
t) tu
be in
ligh
t to
calm
turb
ulen
ce le
vels
.•
The
PPA
shal
l fly
the
C-2
0A w
ithin
a 1
0 m
(32.
8 ft)
dia
met
er tu
be fo
r at l
east
90%
of e
ach
data
take
in c
ondi
tions
of l
ight
to c
alm
atm
osph
eric
dis
turb
ance
sas
def
ined
in S
ectio
n 4.
9 of
refe
renc
e 3.
The
PPA
sho
uld
be a
ble
to m
eet t
he10
m (3
2.8f
t) di
amet
er tu
be re
quire
men
t in
the
pres
ence
of l
ight
to m
oder
ate
atm
osph
eric
s di
stur
banc
es, a
s de
fined
in S
ectio
n 4.
9 of
refe
renc
e 3,
but
not
at
the
expe
nse
of p
erfo
rman
ce in
con
ditio
ns o
f lig
ht to
cal
m a
tmos
pher
icdi
stur
banc
es.
•P
aren
t: T
his
requ
irem
ent i
s de
rived
from
P3
of R
efer
ence
1 w
hich
sta
tes
“The
UAV
SAR
Pla
tform
sha
ll be
cap
able
of f
lyin
g 80
% o
f all
desi
red
track
s to
with
in a
10
m tu
be fo
r at l
east
90%
of t
he tr
ack”
.•
Ref
eren
ce 3
is M
IL-S
TD-1
797
Appe
ndix
A F
lyin
g Q
ualit
ies
of P
ilote
dVe
hicl
es H
andb
ook
For
•M
inim
ize
mot
ion
durin
g da
ta c
olle
ctio
n.•
The
PPA
shal
l min
imiz
e m
otio
n du
ring
SAR
dat
a ru
ns.
•Pa
rent
: Se
lf-Im
pose
d•
Rat
iona
le:
It is
crit
ical
to o
pera
te th
e U
AVSA
R S
yste
m o
n a
stea
dypl
atfo
rm.
This
requ
irem
ent w
ill be
furth
er d
efin
ed a
nd a
ddre
ssed
thro
ugh
coop
erat
ion
with
JPL
as
the
PPA
is d
evel
oped
.
Page
11
PP
A D
esig
n Fl
ow
•A
chie
ve re
quire
d tra
ject
ory
perfo
rman
ce•
Mee
t UA
VSA
R sc
hedu
le re
quire
men
ts•
Faci
litat
e so
ftwar
e de
velo
pmen
t and
dep
loym
ent
•M
inim
ize
impa
ct to
C-2
0A F
light
Man
agem
ent S
yste
m (F
MS)
•Pr
ovid
e fo
r saf
e an
d sim
ple
oper
atio
n•
Faci
litat
e m
igra
tion
to U
AV
pla
tform
•M
akes
use
of i
nher
ent a
ccur
acy
in IL
S•
Sim
ple
mod
ifica
tion
to in
sert
RF sw
itche
s
bet
wee
n IL
S sig
nals
and
PPA
, iso
latin
g
PPA
from
C-2
0A F
MS
•PP
A c
ontro
l is e
asily
disa
bled
by
d
iseng
agin
g au
topi
lot
•PP
A c
ontro
l alg
orith
ms r
elat
ivel
y sim
ple
GOALS
IMPLEMENTATION
Inte
rface
to C
-20A
aut
opilo
t thr
ough
Instr
umen
t Lan
ding
Sys
tem
(ILS
)*
JUSTIFICATION
*App
roac
h us
ed b
y D
anis
h C
ente
r for
Rem
ote
Sens
ing
(DC
RS)
for a
sim
ilar a
pplic
atio
n
Page
12
Inst
rum
ent L
andi
ng S
yste
m
•IL
S co
nsis
ts o
f tw
o ra
dio
trans
mitt
ers
each
with
a s
igna
l at 9
0H
z an
d 15
0 H
z•
VHF
trans
mitt
er fo
r Loc
aliz
er•
UH
F tra
nsm
itter
for G
lides
lope
•Lo
caliz
er a
nd G
lides
lope
rece
iver
son
airc
raft
mea
sure
Diff
eren
ce in
Dep
th M
odul
atio
n (D
DM
) of t
he90
Hz
and
150
Hz
sign
als.
•D
DM
of l
ocal
izer
sig
nal
indi
cate
s if
airc
raft
is le
ft or
righ
tof
cen
terli
ne•
DD
M o
f glid
eslo
pe s
igna
lin
dica
tes
if ai
rcra
ft is
abo
ve o
rbe
low
glid
eslo
pe•
DD
M o
f zer
o in
dica
tes
airc
raft
isal
ong
cent
erlin
e or
glid
eslo
pe
Illus
tratio
n So
urce
: W
ikip
edia
.org
Page
13
PP
A C
ontro
l Loo
p V
isua
lizat
ion
Airc
raft
Dyn
amic
s
C-2
0A S
enso
rs
DG
PSC-2
0AA
utop
ilot
C-2
0AFl
ight
Dire
ctor
PP
A
Con
trolle
rG
uida
nce
Nav
igat
ion
Inne
r-Lo
opO
uter
-Loo
pO
uter
Out
er-L
oop
•A
ircra
ft In
ner-
Loop
dyn
amic
s st
abili
zed
by C
-20A
Aut
opilo
t•
Airc
raft
Out
er L
oop
cont
rolle
d by
C-2
0A F
light
Dire
ctor
•P
PA
pro
vide
s O
uter
Out
er-L
oop
Con
trol
•S
tabi
lity
& p
erfo
rman
ce m
etric
s ar
e w
ell-d
efin
ed o
nly
for I
nner
-Loo
p co
ntro
l•
No
rigor
ous
desi
gn c
riter
ia e
xist
s fo
r Out
er-L
oop,
let a
lone
Out
er O
uter
-Loo
pco
ntro
l
Page
14
PP
A H
ardw
are
Inte
rface
s
•Au
topi
lot I
nter
face
Com
pute
r (AI
C)
•Pr
ovid
e in
terfa
ces
to e
xter
nal
data
sou
rces
•H
ost t
he c
ontro
l alg
orith
m•
Driv
e th
e IL
S te
ster
•Pr
ovid
e in
terfa
ce to
ope
rato
rst
atio
n of
C-2
0A fo
r way
poin
tup
load
, gai
n co
ntro
l, an
d da
taar
chiv
e•
ILS
Inte
rface
Sys
tem
(I2S
)•
Mod
ulat
e th
e IL
S si
gnal
base
d on
inpu
t fro
m A
IC•
Prov
ide
the
ILS
glid
eslo
pean
d lo
caliz
er R
F si
gnal
s•
DC
APS
(Dat
a C
olle
ctio
n an
dPr
oces
sing
Sys
tem
)•
Prov
ides
C-2
0A S
enso
r Dat
a
Page
15
PP
A P
alle
t on
Exp
erim
ent R
ack Aut
opilo
tIn
terfa
ceC
ompu
ter
ILS
Inte
rface
Sys
tem
Page
16
Con
cept
of O
pera
tions
•C
-20A
pilo
ts /
auto
pilo
t will
fly th
e ai
rcra
ft to
the
lead
-in w
aypo
int.
•O
nce
the
airc
raft
is s
tabi
lized
, the
PPA
will
be e
ngag
ed.
•N
av re
ceiv
er s
ourc
e sw
itche
d to
rece
ive
from
PPA
•Pi
lots
con
figur
e C
-20A
to fl
y IL
S ap
proa
ch•
Pilo
ts in
dica
te re
ady
for P
PA o
pera
tion
•PP
A op
erat
or e
ngag
es P
PA•
PPA
flies
C-2
0A a
long
des
ired
traje
ctor
y•
PPA
oper
ator
info
rms
pilo
ts w
hen
last
way
poin
t rea
ched
•Pi
lots
take
con
trol o
f the
airc
raft
(dis
enga
ge IL
S m
ode)
•PP
A op
erat
or d
isen
gage
s PP
A
•At
any
tim
e du
ring
PPA
oper
atio
n, th
e pi
lot c
an d
isab
le th
e PP
A by
sw
itchi
ngou
t of I
LS m
ode.
The
pilo
t can
cha
nge
mod
e by
•C
hang
ing
auto
pilo
t com
man
ds•
Dep
ress
ing
auto
pilo
t dis
enga
ge s
witc
h•
Mov
ing
the
airc
raft
cont
rol
•Sw
itchi
ng b
etw
een
the
two
onbo
ard
FMS
PP
A E
ngag
e / D
isen
gage
Are
a
Sta
rt / S
top
Rad
ar D
ata
Col
lect
ion
C-2
0A L
ead-
In W
aypo
int
Page
17
Pilo
t RF
Sw
itch
Inte
rface
•A
nalo
g sw
itch
to c
ontro
l 28
VD
C to
RF
switc
hes
•O
ne c
ockp
it sw
itch
to c
ontro
l bot
h gl
ides
lope
and
loca
lizer
RF
switc
hes
•LE
D in
dica
tion
of s
witc
h st
atus
•O
utpu
t of s
witc
h m
onito
red
by D
CA
PS
as
inpu
t dis
cret
e an
d tim
e-st
ampe
d
Sw
itch
Loca
tion
Page
18
PP
A P
lann
ed F
light
Env
elop
e
Mc/
Vc
Ma/
Va
(206
kts
)C
onst
ant q
bar
Gai
n D
esig
n P
ts
Mc
= C
ritic
al M
ach
Ma
= M
aneu
verin
g M
ach
Vc
= C
ritic
al S
peed
Va
= M
aneu
verin
g S
peed
Page
19
PP
A D
esig
n S
trate
gy
•R
ecen
tly fi
nish
ed fi
rst c
ut a
t ful
l env
elop
e co
ntro
ller d
esig
n
•Th
is s
umm
er, c
lose
ly e
xam
ine
a ha
ndfu
l of f
light
con
ditio
ns fo
r flig
ht te
stin
g.•
2 –
4 se
ts o
f gai
ns w
ill b
e se
lect
ed fo
r tes
ting
at e
ach
fligh
t con
ditio
n•
Gai
ns w
ill li
kely
be
set b
y m
atch
ing
perfo
rman
ce w
ith v
aryi
ng le
vels
of
syst
em d
elay
•P
ossi
bly
have
hig
h an
d lo
w p
erfo
rmin
g ga
in s
ets
for v
aryi
ng le
vels
of
syst
em d
elay
•In
itial
ly, F
light
Tes
t will
be
focu
sed
on c
ontro
ller p
oint
des
igns
.•
A re
fined
, ful
l env
elop
e co
ntro
ller w
ill b
e de
velo
ped
and
fligh
t-tes
ted
as p
art o
fth
e C
ycle
II &
III C
ontro
ller u
pdat
es
Hig
h S
yste
m D
ela
yLow
Sys
tem
Dela
y
Perf
orm
ance
Perf
orm
ance
Alti
tude
Mach
Low
Hig
hLow
Hig
h
40,0
00
0.8
30,0
00
0.6
25,0
00
0.8
20,0
00
0.6
Rep
rese
ntat
ive
Flig
ht C
ondi
tions
& G
ains
for I
nitia
l Flig
ht T
estin
g
Page
20
Mon
te C
arlo
Sim
ulat
ion
Res
ults
10 m
. Tub
e P
erfo
rman
ce
Mac
h 0.
8 –
40,0
00 ft
(12,
192
m.)
Mac
h 0.
85 –
30,
000
ft (9
,144
m.)
Cro
ssTr
ack
Erro
r (m
)
Cro
ssTr
ack
Erro
r (m
)
Altitude Error (m)Altitude Error (m)
•M
onte
Car
lo a
naly
sis
cond
ucte
d w
ithC
-20A
sim
ulat
ion
•C
onsi
sts
of ra
ndom
ly p
ertu
rbin
gsi
mul
atio
n pa
ram
eter
s w
ithin
spec
ified
bou
nds.
•44
sim
ulat
ion
para
met
ers
pertu
rbed
incl
udin
g:ae
rody
nam
ics,
mas
s pr
oper
ties,
syst
em ti
min
g, w
inds
.•
500
sim
ulat
ion
runs
wer
eco
nduc
ted
at s
peci
fic fl
ight
cond
ition
s.
Nom
inal
Run
Mon
te C
arlo
Run
Page
21
Mon
te C
arlo
Res
ults
Mac
h 0.
8 –
40,0
00 ft
(12,
192
m)
Nom
inal
Run
Mon
te C
arlo
Run
Page
22
Pre
cisi
on A
utop
ilot S
tatu
s
•Fl
ight
har
dwar
e bu
ildup
ong
oing
•D
evel
opm
ent v
ersi
on o
f flig
ht c
ode
runn
ing
in H
ardw
are
in th
eLo
op S
imul
atio
n
•Fl
ight
cod
e de
velo
pmen
t nea
ring
com
plet
ion
•Fl
ight
cod
e V
erifi
catio
n &
Val
idat
ion
test
ing
late
r thi
s su
mm
er
•G
roun
d te
stin
g in
Sep
tem
ber
•Fi
rst p
reci
sion
aut
opilo
t flig
ht la
te S
epte
mbe
r / O
ctob
er
Page
23
Upc
omin
g U
AV
SA
R M
ilest
ones
•R
ecen
tly fi
nish
ed a
ll C
ritic
al D
esig
n R
evie
ws
(CD
R)
•C
-20A
tran
spor
ted
to V
an N
uys,
CA
for a
irfra
me
mod
ifica
tions
•C
onst
ruct
ion
of S
AR
pod
s is
in p
rogr
ess
•JP
L co
ntin
uing
with
SA
R b
uild
up
•Fi
rst f
light
of m
odifi
ed C
-20A
in e
arly
Aug
ust
•Fi
rst f
light
with
a “d
umm
y” p
od in
mid
-late
Aug
ust
•Fi
rst f
light
with
pre
cisi
on a
utop
ilot i
n S
epte
mbe
r
•Fi
rst f
light
with
JP
L’s
SA
R in
Oct
ober
/ N
ovem
ber
Page
24
Que
stio
ns?
