Flight Dynamics and Control of a New VTOL Aircraft in Fixed-wing Mode

The aerodynamic layout of the fixed-wing mode of Canard Rotor/Wing (CRW) aircraft is quite different from that of the conventional fixed-wing aircraft. This study will focus on the flight dynamics characteristics and control in the fixed-wing mode of the CRW aircraft. First, aiming at the complicated aerodynamic interference in the fixed-wing mode of CRW aircraft, the flight dynamics model of the fixed-wing mode is established by combining CFD and engineering estimation. Then, by trimming at the different forward flight speeds, it is found that the minimum thrust is required when only the canard control surface is operated for longitudinal control. The linearized results show that the stability of most modes are good, and nevertheless only the Dutch roll mode diverges. It is found that the Dutch roll mode divergence is results from the unique three-wing aerodynamic layout of CRW aircraft. Finally, an explicit model tracking control system is designed to enhance the stability of the fixed-wing mode of CRW aircraft, which contributes for the future engineering application.