Modeling and simulation of an autopilot system for aircraft landing using MFA controllers

• Grant number: 11/23557-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Industrial Electronics, Electronic Systems and Controls
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Sérgio da Silva
• Grantee: Nathan Collis Coelho
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This undergraduate research project aims to simulate and analyze an autopilot system for landing an aircraft using controllers based on Model Free Adaptive (MFA) neural network architecture. This controller, although promising, has been little explored in the literature, as revealed by the undertaken literature search. The emphasis on the landing is justified because, although it represents, on average, only 4% of total flight time, 34% of aviation accidents occur during this phase. Using a mathematical model of six degrees of freedom and its implementation in MATLAB/SIMULINK, it is intended to compare the performances of the MFA and conventional (PID) controllers when they were subjected to environmental disturbances and parameter variations of the aircraft. The research will be conducted in such a way that the candidate will acquire and assimilate the necessary knowledge gradually.(AU)