Effects of gyroscopic force and counter torque in Coupled dynamics of fixed-wing aircraft

What is it about?

The flight dynamics of a NAV are influenced by the effects that are usually neglected in large aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. The most important effect is coupling between lateral and longitudinal dynamics, which is due to inertial, gyroscopic, and aerodynamic effects. Generally, the mass of the propulsion system of a NAV provides notable contributions to the total mass. This results in a substantial rotor/propeller moment of inertia. Hence, the effects of the gyroscopic coupling on the dynamics of a NAV cannot be neglected. At the same time, most of the NAVs are equipped with a single rotating motor/propeller that generates counter torque. This counter torque also induces coupling between the lateral and longitudinal dynamics due to an appreciable value of the product of inertia and a small value of the moment of inertia of a NAV. Hence, while developing a NAV, it is important to understand the effects of the gyroscopic coupling and counter torque on the dynamics of a NAV. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to examine the coupling effects on the linear dynamics of the fixed-wing NAV due to the gyroscopic coupling and counter torque by conducting a parametric study

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Why is it important?

To achieve a stable flight of a fixed-wing extremely small aircraft, the controller needs to tackle the adverse effects of the coupling. Hence, this study helps in the synthesize of a controller that can mitigate the unfavorable effects of gyroscopic coupling and counter torque on the dynamics of these vehicles. Also, the analysis aids in selecting a proper motor-propeller combination for a minuscule aircraft.

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