6DOF Simulation Analysis for a Digital Bank-to-Turn Autopilot

Our 6QOF simulation capability offers an excellent tool for control system design -and verification. The Monte Carlo technique provides an effective method for complete system robustness evaluation. About 1.5 hours of simulation time results in a complete evaluation of the design. Results of our analysis show that a modern control LQ design complemented with classical techniques, such as digital pre-filters, offers an autopilot with excellent performance. The high performance required for the intercept mission can -be achieved using an angle of attack feedback instead of normal acceleration. A detail angle of attack estimator is included with the design. The autopilot algorithm has been programmed successfully in the Ada high order language. The next step will be to verify the design on a 1750 processor and do processor-in-the-loop testing. The modern control algorithm uses only fixed gains and can be easily implemented on a 1750 processor.