Analysis of Wing-in-Ground-Effect Vehicle with regard to Safety Ensuring Control

Abstract Due to the efficiency and their classification as fast vessels, wing in ground crafts have the potential to become favored transport vehicles for mean distances in coastal regions. However, up to now, this potential could not be realized, because the safe operation of WIG crafts fails in view of the challenging control problems. The nonlinear character of the aerodynamics close to the ground, the constraints for actuators and states, as well as the need for high performance call for advanced control concepts. The paper will contribute to the solution of the control problem by providing appropriate mathematical models. On basis of a theoretical analysis, the paper describes the applied methods and results for the experimental process identification at a scaled 5:1 WIG craft. Apart from the effect of the actuators, the influence of wind and surface disturbances is investigated. The achieved nonlinear MIMO models have been verified at different experiments, and have already proven to be very useful for the design of first basic controllers.