AE 4525: CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN LABORATORY

Fall 2014

Catalog Description: Experiments in system dynamics and control with emphasis on vehicle
flight control system design. Pre-requisite: AE3515; Pre-/Co-Requisite: AE3521
Purpose of Course: This laboratory course is designed to give students in Aerospace
Engineering a hands-on experience with system modeling and simulation, control system design,
analysis and evaluation, and flight control system synthesis, design and simulation evaluation.
Schedule:
Week 1: (Aug 18 22) (No Lab)
Lecture: Overview, familiarization and review of MATLAB, SIMULINK
Lab 1: Example problems in the use of MATLAB and SIMULINK (Individual)

Week 2: (Aug 25 29) (AE Controls Lab)
Lecture: DC servomotor system modeling, Review of PID control
Lab 2: DC Servomotor - Modeling (Group)
Due: Lab 1 report (Individual) by 2 PM on Aug 25 in class

Week 3: (Sept 1 5) (AE Computer Lab)
Lecture: None, Holiday
Lab 2: DC Servomotor - Controller Design (Individual)
Due: None

Week 4: (Sept 8 12) (AE Controls Lab)
Lecture: DC servomotor experiment
Lab 2: DC Servomotor - Controller Implementation and Evaluation (Group)
Due: None

Week 5: (Sept 15 - 19) (AE Computer Lab)
Lecture: Gyroscopic principle
Lab 3: Gyroscopic Stabilized Platform - Controller Design (Individual)
Due: Lab 2 report (Group)

Week 6: (Sept 22 - 26) (AE Controls Lab)
Lecture: Gyroscopic principle
Lab 3: Gyro Stabilized Platform Controller Implementation and Evaluation (Group)
Due: None

Week 7: (Sept 29 Oct 3) (AE Computer Lab)
Lecture: Control of a Three Degrees-Of-Freedom System
Lab 4: Helicopter Experiment Controller Design (Individual)
Due: Lab 3 report (Group)


Week 8: (Oct 6 10) (AE Controls Lab)
Lecture: Control of a Three Degrees-Of-Freedom System
Lab 4: Helicopter Experiment Controller Implementation and Evaluation (Group)
Due: None

Week 9: (Oct 13 17) (No Lab)
Fall Recess
Lecture: None
Due: None
Use this week to make-up any missed lab

Week 10: (Oct 20 24) (AE Computer Lab)
Lecture: Longitudinal SAS and CAS Designs
Lab 5: Longitudinal SCAS Design and Evaluation (Individual)
Due: Lab 4 report (Group)

Week 11: (Oct 27 Oct 31) (AE Computer Lab)
Lecture: Lateral SAS design
Lab 6: Lateral SAS Design and Evaluation (Individual)
Due: Lab 5 report (Individual)

Week 12: (Nov 3 7) (AE Computer Lab)
Lecture: Lateral CAS design
Lab 6: Lateral CAS Design and Evaluation (Individual)
Due: None

Week 13: (Nov 10 Nov 14) (AE Controls Lab)
Lecture: Combined Longitudinal and Lateral SCAS
Lab 7: Combined Longitudinal and Lateral SCAS Evaluation using a Nonlinear Model (Group)
Due: Lab 6 report (Individual)

Week 14: (Nov 17 - 21) (AE Controls Lab)
Lecture: LQR controller design
Lab 8: Inverted pendulum experiment and Spacecraft Demo (Group)
Due: Lab 7 report (Group)

Week 15: (Nov 24 - 28) (No Lab)
Thanksgiving week
Lecture: None
Use this week to make-up any missed lab

Week 16: (Dec 1 - 5) (No Lab)
Lecture: Review for final exam
Due: Lab 8 report (Group)


Week 17: (Dec 8 Dec 12)
Final Exam Week

Important Note on Georgia Tech Honor Code: Georgia Tech Honor Code applies to all the
work carried out in this course. All violations will be promptly reported for appropriate
disciplinary action, in addition to receiving a zero grade.
.
Grading: Lab experiments: Lab 1 10%
Lab 2 10%
Lab 3 10%
Lab 4 10%
Lab 5 10%
Lab 6 10%
Lab 7 5%
Lab 8 5%
Final: TBD 30%

Students will be evaluated by their team members, once at mid-semester and once at the end of
the semester. These evaluations will be taken into consideration in assigning the final grades.

Grading Policy: A 90 & above
B 80 89
C 65 79
D 50 64
F 49 & below

Instructor: Dr. J VR Prasad (jvr.prasad@ae.gatech.edu)
Knight 421A
404-894-3043

TAs:
Andrew Aldrich (andrewaldrich@gatech.edu)
MK 409

Kyuman Lee (klee400@gatech.edu)
MK 207

Timothy Murphy (tsmurphy21@gatech.edu)
MK 211

Marc Welsch (marc.welsch@gatech.edu)
ESM 109A

Emre Yilmaz (emreyilmaz@gatech.edu)


Lab Reports:
Controller design parts of the experiments (where indicated) must be carried out individually and
the design results must be shown to the TA by the end of each lab period. Lab reports are due at
the beginning of the next experiment. Late submissions without a valid explanation or prior
approval will be penalized according to the following:
1 day late 25% off
2 days late 50% off
3 days late 75% off
4 days late 100% off
A lab report must include the following as a minimum:
1. Objective
2. Review of Design steps, if any (be very concise and do not repeat material from the lab
manuals)
3. Tabulated experimental data, charts, plots, etc.
4. Analysis, calculations, results, discussion and evaluation, etc.
5. Answers to questions in the lab manual
Lab reports must be professionally done, preferably using a word processor. Lab reports must be
written in a manner that is easy to follow while reading. That is, the order in which it is laid out
should be in the order that the controller design is done and in the order that the questions are
asked. Also, figures and tables should be merged with the appropriate text, and not appended at
the end of the report. There is no need to directly copy anything that is already in the lab manual,
just for the sake of having a 'formal' report. Points will be taken off if a lab report is hard to
follow and grade. Controller gains from the design must clearly be stated in the report as this is a
crucial result of design. Refer to the Lab Report Rubric document under the Helpful Items
folder as a guide for what to include in each report.

Lab Reports will be worth 70% of your grade for that lab unless otherwise noted by the TAs.
Time in the computer lab will be worth 30%, based upon what is completed before you leave the
lab.
Important Notes on Lab Participation:
1. You must perform all controller designs individually.
2. You must show your controller design work to the TAs prior to leaving for the day from
the lab.
3. You are reminded of the Georgia Tech honor code and any violations will be promptly
reported to the higher authorities.
Notes about Lab:
When you require help with the lab, please e-mail a TA to set up a time. Do not do any of the
following:
1. Ask to see a TA during lab periods
2. Ask any of the people on the second floor Where the controls lab TA is
3. Ask questions about anything but what you are supposed to be working on in lab

These are very important. We will not answer any questions in lab except to people who are
supposed to be in there about what they are supposed to be working on. If you need to see a TA
and 212 is closed, send us an e-mail. Do not pester anybody in labs close to the controls lab.
They are working and it is rude to disturb them.