Project description
Streamlining active inceptor flight-control technology for next-generation tiltrotors
Leonardo Next-Generation Civil Tiltrotor is a new tiltrotor aircraft demonstrator developed within the context of the European Clean Sky 2 programme. The full fly-by-wire aircraft will feature a joystick-type control interface that will be fitted with active inceptors to provide tactile feedback to pilots. The EU-funded SMAR-TeR project will help in the design of ergonomic architectures that improve pilot comfort and enhance safety. Unlike sassive inceptors that provide tactile information through the use of springs and dampers, the active receptor will provide intuitive tactile feedback. The project will test three different configurations to define the final inceptor specifications. The new active inceptor intends to reduce pilot workload while ensuring that the pilot remains the ultimate decision-making authority for the aircraft control.
Objective
The SMAR-TeR project is aimed at identifying, developing, prototyping and pilot-in-the-loop validating a new class of active inceptors for civil tilt rotor application. The design will focus on inceptors’ mechanical interfaces and ergonomics so that NGCTR FCS augmentation can be further improved. At the same time studies on ergonomics, electromechanical senso-actuators, haptic capabilities, command logic including diagnostic capabilities and system integration by pilot-in-the-loop simulation at WAL premises will be part of SMAR-TeR commitment.
The first step will consist in a specification review, a conceptual system design, trade-off activities and a technological innovation assessment with the final aim to identify the possible ergonomic architectures that match the WAL requirements and the tilt rotor specific application. Virtual reality based and 3D-printed methods will be used in order to define the best inceptor ergonomic architecture and functionality to improve the pilot and co-pilot comfort and workload reduction. Innovative inceptor with “haptic capabilities” will be implemented by developing software and hardware solutions in order to define an active inceptor systems that feeds information from the tiltrotor’s fly-by-wire system to the pilot through the inceptor itself. This “tactile cueing” will be one of the many benefits of the proposed active inceptor system. Algorithms modelling, simulation and performance analysis will be carried out in order to develop a new worldwide state of art inceptor for tiltrotor application. The system will be designed, produced and tested keeping in mind current trends in pilot haptic aiding that go beyond the variable stiffness or passive haptic aids characteristics currently adopted; the proposed hardware and software architecture will allow adoption of future active haptic aids. The final three inceptors’ configurations will be tested at WAL facilities in order to define the inceptor specification.
Fields of science
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Funding Scheme
CS2-RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
80038 POMIGLIANO D' ARCO NA
Italy
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.