Estimation Before Modeling Approach (EBM)

(Aerodynamic Parameters Estimation of Tactical

Flight Vehicles)

Dr. A K Sarkar
Scientist
Directorate of Systems
DRDL, Hyderabad-58

Workshop on
KALMAN FILTERING AND ITS APPLICATIONS,
conducted by IISc, Bengaluru, at LRDE
01-03-2011
 ESTIMATION BEFORE MODELING

ESTIMATION

Estimate the total force from accelerometer output

Estimate the total moment from gyro output

Evaluate total aerodynamic force coefficient

Evaluate total aerodynamic moment coefficient

MODELLING

Evolve the aerodynamic model structure

Multiple linear regression

Obtain estimated aerodynamic coefficients

Sri-Jayantha M and Stengel R E: Determination of Nonlinear
Aerodynamic Coefficients using Estimation Before Modeling,
Journal of Aircraft , Vol 25, No 9, pp. 796-804, September (1988).
 PROBLEM DEFINITION

Available Onboard Measurements

•Accelerometer and Gyro outputs from SDINS
•Telemeter Control surface deflections

Available External Measurements (Nil)

Practical Difficulties For Parameter Estimation

•No specific maneuver for parameter estimation purpose.
•Availability of minimum onboard sensor outputs.
•Non-Availability of flight data from any external
measurement unit like Tracking Radar, Doppler, Pitot probe
and angle of attack sensors.
 Various algorithms used for TFV
Aerodynamic Parameter Estimation

USING SIMULATED DATA

• Flight Data Compatibility Check Using MMLE
• Estimation of Aerodynamic Parameters Using MMLE.
• Estimation of Linear, Angular Accelerations Using EKF and MBSF.
• Estimation of Aerodynamic Parameters Using MLR.
• Effect of Unknown Sensor Biases on Estimated Parameters'
Accuracy.
• Estimation of Aerodynamic Parameters Using FFNN and GA
for consistency check with MLR.
USING REAL FLIGHT DATA

•Estimation of Linear, Angular Accelerations

Using EKF and MBSF.
•Estimation of Aerodynamic Parameters Using MLR.
•Estimation of Aerodynamic Parameters Using
FFNN and GA for consistency check with MLR.
Using Simulated Data
State and Measurement Equations for Flight data CC Using MMLE
For proper CC of flight data minimum sensors required
are (V, alpha, beta) sensors
Aerodynamic Parameter Estimation Using MMLE
Model Reduction for Aerodynamic Parameter Estimation
 Difficulties in Handling Limited Real Flight Test
Data and Methods To Overcome It

•No external measurements

•Sensor bias and scale factor errors cannot be estimated

•Measured data contains random errors as well. They are best modelled
as a third ordr GM process. In order to obtain the time varying
aerodynamic force and moments, accelerometer and gyro
Output can be assumed the outcome of third order GM process.

•EKF/MBSF filter/smoother can be used for estimating total force and

moment coefficients

•AEKF filter tuning which helps to obtain best possible smoothed

estimate.
State model for estimation
Measurement model for estimation
Estimation of Q

6 (total number of measurements)

• Convergenceof NIS Cost with respect to Iterations
• (AEKF + pqr-measurement + S)
•Comparison of AEKF estimated linear accelerations with respect
to truth model(AEKF + pqr-measurement + S)
Comparison of AEKF estimated body rates with respect to
truth model (AEKF + pqr-measurement + S)
Comparison of AEKF estimated angular accelerations wrt
truth model (AEKF + pqr-measurement + S)
Time history of (alpha, beta) from
reconstructed trajectory of TFV (S)
Time history of control surface deflections
(del1,del2,del3,del4) of TFV (S)
 Time history of (Cz-tot,Cm-tot) from
reconstructed trajectory of TFV (Pitch Plane)
This Is The Minimal Model
Sructure Arrived At

Coefficients Are Estimated

Using MLR

Estimates Are Verified

Using ANN And GA
Comparison of model output with actual
(Cy-tot, Cmz-tot) during (15-19) seconds
of flight (Sim. Data)
 Missile being symmetric in nature, yaw plane
characteristics are same as pitch plane characteristics
Unknown Sensor Biases' Effect on Estimated Parameters'
Accuracy From Simulated Flight Test Data
Consistency Checking About The Assumptions Regarding
Force Coefficients Invariance
Comparison of TFV (alpha, beta) from Trajectory
with bias, DB and Trajectory without bias
(S + 1.00 m/s2 bias in all channels )
Time history comparison of (Cz_total, Cmy_total)
due to bias of ( 0.75, 1.00, 0.00) m/s2
(Pitch plane + S)
 Estimated Aerodynamic Momemt Coefficients with
Accelerometer bias of 1.00 m/s2 in all three channels
Using (alpha, beta) from Trajectory
Estimated Aerodynamic Momemt Coefficients with
Accelerometer bias of 1.0 m/s2 in all three channels
Using (alpha, beta) from Data Base
Consistency check of MLR estimated
Aerodynamic Moment Coefficients
with ANN and GA estimates
Aerodynamic Moment Coefficient Estimation
Of TFV

Constraints
No external Measurements

Steps of Aero Coefficient Estimation

 Calculate Specific Force and Specific Moment From

Accelerometer And Gyro Output Using EKF/MBSF
Filter/Smoother

 Calculate Angle Of attack And Angle Of Side Slip From

Aero Data Base

 Carry Out MLR along both Yaw and Pitch Plane During
Maneuver Zone To Estimate Aero Coeff Using Above
Angles and Telemeter Control Surface Deflections
Real Flight Test Data
Time History of (Alpha, Beta) From Sensor Integration
And Data Base (Nag Flight)
Estimated Aerodynamic Moment Coefficients
from NAG flight Trials
Estimated Aerodynamic Drag Coefficient
from NAG flight Trials
Estimated Aerodynamic Moment Coefficients
from Trishul flight Trials
AERO COEFFICIENT ESTIMATION OF TACTICAL MISSILES (AKASH)
Cm alpha wrt Mach No Cm delta (TCP) wrt Mach No

Cm delta (WING) wrt Mach No C l delta (TCP) wrt Mach No

AERO COEFFICIENT ESTIMATION OF ASTRA
Preflight and flight extracted Cma (/deg) (ASG08, ASG09)
Comparison of preflight and flight extracted X_cp/d (ASG08, ASG09)
Estimated C_m delta (per pair per deg) from flights (ASG08, ASG09)
Overall Aerodynamic Parameter Estimation Algorithm
Using Estimation Before Modeling (EBM)
 Conclusion
Major findings in this study are
• MMLE estimator with BFGS optimizer is very robust for cost
convergence while handling limited measurements.
•Simple Model For Regression Evolved
•Random measurement noise components have been removed from
accelerometer and gyro data by AEKF/MBSF filter/smoother. Filter
Tuning in AEKF by optimizing NIS cost function is new contribution in
this thesis
•Due to non availability of any external measurements(alpha, beta) from
Data Base Evolved and Used for Moment Coefficient Estimation
•MLR Estimates Are Consistent with GA and ANN
THANK YOU FOR THE
PATIENT HEARING !

Other Contributors
Dr. M R Ananathasayanam
Dr. S Vathsal