UAV Flight Dynamics: Design and Development of a Framework for Flight Data Processing and Analysis

The Center for Aerospace Research, working on the leading edge of the next generation of unmanned aircraft, carries out an extensive activity of flight testing with the objective of studying new configurations and systems to fulfil missions in the most efficient way. Since the acquisition of several projects by collaborators such as Boeing, Bombardier and the Canadian Department of Defence, the number of flight tests to be performed has increased substantially, requiring a radical change in the data handling method used to analyse the numerous log files generated. The project developed in this thesis proposes to solve this issue with the creation of a customized flight data post processor software, capable of managing all the data produced from the flight tests. This software not only provides a unique tool to handle and process all the flight data, but also integrates a variety of features in order to extend the analysis capability. The functions implemented range from simple data extrapolation tools, to complex frequency analysis algorithms used to study the dynamic response of the aircraft. Moreover the software offers a sequence of functions to perform a complete tuning process of the autopilot with the objective of increasing the control efficiency, by removing the oscillatory response caused by erroneous parameters. To complete the project a study of a new type of flight mission plan is conducted in order to improve the dynamic analysis of the aircraft performed by the advanced tools in the software.