Control Mapping Methodology for Tailless Morphing-Wing Aircraft

Advanced aircraft designs tend to have several control surfaces or devices that affect the flight of the aircraft. It is difficult or even impossible for a pilot to directly control each of these devices and fly the aircraft well. Therefore, a control mapping logic is needed to take typical pilot commands and map them to what the control devices should do to achieve the pilot’s commands. This work presents a methodology for determining this control mapping logic using two different approaches. The first uses a theoretical approach based on lifting-line theory, while the second leverages computational methods. The methodology consists of computing optimal control configurations for a wide range of flight conditions and then curve fitting that data to obtain control mapping functions that act as the control mapping logic. Example results are given for a typical aircraft configuration as well as a flying wing configuration.