FLIGHT TEST OF AIRCRAFT THREE-AXIS ATTITUDE CONTROL WITHOUT RUDDERS BASED ON DISTRIBUTED DUAL SYNTHETIC JETS

The autonomous and controllable dual synthetic jet actuators were integrated into an aircraft with a conventional layout and then, the three-axis flight tests without rudders were carried out to verify the ability of distributed three-axis dual synthetic jet actuators to control the attitudes of the aircraft during the cruising. First of all, the dual synthetic jet actuators were improved, and the distributed three-axis attitude control dual synthetic jet actuators were created. Moreover, roll circulation control actuators were installed on the trailing edge of both-side wings close to the wingtips, where their jet outlets were close to the pressure surface. Yaw reverse dual synthetic jet actuators, evenly arranged on the upper and lower surfaces along the span direction, were respectively installed at the 20% chord of the wing close to the wingtips on both sides. Pitch circulation control actuators, whose outlets were also close to the pressure surface, were installed on the trailing edge of the in-house flat tail under the V tail. Then, for an aircraft with a cruising speed of 30 m/s, the three-axis attitude control flight tests without rudders have been carried out during the cruising. Relevant flight attitude information shows that distributed dual synthetic jets could realize the three-axis attitude control of the aircraft without rudders during the cruising. What’s more, the coupling has been shown between the lateral and heading control. The two-way roll control of the aircraft could be realized by the roll circulation control actuators, and the maximum roll angular velocity that can be generated is 16.87°/s. In addition, yaw reverse dual synthetic jet actuators could achieve the two-way yaw control, and the maximum yaw angular velocity that can be generated is 9.09°/s. Pitch circulation control actuators could realize the longitudinal control of the aircraft, and the maximum pitch angular velocity that can be generated is 7.68°/s.