Development of dynamic inversion based outer-loop anti-swing control law for a helicopter slung-load system

Abstract

Using helicopters to deliver supplies to forward ground units in high-threat environments can lead to increase in troop mobility and enlarge the area of operation. However, flying a limited aircraft performance due to slung load in a high-threat area could increase the pilots' workload significantly. The goal of the work was to develop an outer-loop control law to help pilot in controlling helicopter slung-load system. The dynamic inversion control scheme was used to develop an outer-loop control assisting system. A mathematical model of generic utility helicopter with externally slung load in vertical-longitudinal axes was developed and accounted for the force and moment interaction between helicopter and load. Numerical results was evaluated and shown to provide improved mission performance.