Automated Flight Data

Management System for

Aircraft System Identification
(AFDMS)
Khadeeja Nusrath TK
Scientist
Modeling & Identification
FMCD,NAL

Introduction :System Identification

Flight Test Data Gathering

Why AFDMS?

Role of AFDMS in system identification

Challenges in Development

Overview Of Data Management System

Implementation

How MATLAB is useful?

Features & Advantages

Conclusions

Dynamic
System(f)

Look at the results and try

to figure out what situation

caused these results

1. System Identification
concerned with mathematical
structure of flight vehicle.

2. Parameter Estimation
Quantifying of parameters for a
selected flight vehicle model
3. Simulation
Fixed flight vehicle model and
parameters

If it is not in the Data it cannot be Modeled

(RV Jategaonkar)

Flight test efforts towards

Handling qualities evaluation

Safe Flight Envelope Expansion
Aero Database Validation & Update
Performance Analysis
Air Data Calibration

Different configurations (slat, airbrake,.)

Flight conditions (altitude, speed,.)

Variety of maneuvers (longitudinal, lateral,)

Weapon stations (external stores)

Different prototypes

Flight Test

Flight test matrix for

system identification

Test point tracking

AOA

ENVELOPE PLOT

Aero database update

Performance analysis

Flight data pool

Mach

>5000 segment
>1500 test points
>20 configurations
10 prototypes

Role of AFDMS in System Identification

Flight Test Point Matrix

Flight Path Reconstruction

Flight data pre-processing

Airdata Calibration,
Aerodata Validation,
Performance Analysis,..

Time Synch. +
maneuver extraction

Classification according to
aircraft config.
Slats/UC/Airbrakes/ Mach

Data
Management
System

model validation

Extensive flight testing for envelope expansion and

certification
Flight test tracking for different applications
Large number of flight conditions, maneuvers and
store configurations on different prototypes
Extremely complex set of data from different sources
and sensors
Minimize the users effort to retrieve and analyze the
data of interest

Overview of AFDMS
MS ACCESS

DATA STORAGE
UNIT

DATA ENTRY
RETREIVAL
&
USER QUERY

DATABASE
FOR
TESTPOINTS

GRAPHICAL USER
INTERFACE

DATABASE
FOR FLIGHT
DATA

DATABASE FOR
ESTIMATION
RESULTS
MATLAB

TESTPOINT
TRACKING

PLOTS & REPORT

GENERATION
DATA
PRE-PROCESSING

DATA STORAGE UNIT (DATA BANK)

- Flight Test data Files in ASCII/MAT format
DATABASE engine main modules
- Microsoft ACCESS
Database for Flight data: Relevant information about
flight trim conditions, configuration, aircraft, control
inputs, maneuvers ,Flight no,

Database for Test points: Test matrix for all

configurations.

Database for Estimation Results: Results from

parameter estimation/modeling

User Front end

-MATLAB Graphical User Interface (GUI)
MATLAB Interactive modules
- Database Tool Box
Data source interact with standard windows ODBC driver.

Report generator
Data analysis and visualization functions
SQL programming
Automated data entry/retrieval

MATLAB is widely used for aircraft data analysis

/processing and visualization

Interfacing between database engine and MATLAB SQL

programming

Query generation, report generation and automation

through M-file coding

A stand alone software for data management as well as

data analysis /processing

Alpha (rad)
Laoa (rad)
Raoa (rad)

0.6

mach

ax (m/sq.sec)

0.2
0
0

20

0
0

40
60
time (sec)

20

40
60
time (sec)

20

40
60
time (sec)

1500

20
10

fuel (kg)

pstk (mm)

0.4

0
-10

1000

500

-20

10

20

30

40
Time (sec)

50

60

70

Time response plot of alpha from

different sources

20

40
60
time (sec)

0
0

Different signal from maneuver

concatenation

alpha (rad)

Test Point Tracking & Documentation

beta (rad)

Lateral Flight Data Coverage

Report
generation

Automatic
test point
tracking

Quick look
graphs of
any data
segments
Generates
data files
for
Estimation
package

Easily
configura
ble for any
aircraft

Parameter
estimation
results

Auto
generation
of envelope
coverage

Queries
for the
user
requireme
nt

THANK YOU