Flight control software architecture

I. Components of flight control system

The early unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) didn't have a software architecture, and it was developed through the radio (RC) control technology. The first course of the author's undergraduate course was called "Introduction to Automation", which was very memorable. At the beginning of the class, the professor gave a picture, a typical closed-loop control system (including control objectives, controllers, feedback information and actuators), which also summarized the early UAV flight control system. Thanks to the enhancement of satellite capability and the technological progress in computer processing capability, algorithm development, real-time system application, electromechanical flight control system and navigation system, the current flight control system develops with the change of software architecture. However, the basic function of UAV flight control system is unchanged: it mainly depends on the sensor system to obtain the position and attitude information, which is fed back to the microprocessor to perform the operation of the control system and output the control instructions to the related subsystems (servo actuator/electromechanical system). Therefore, flight control software design is mainly responsible for building a reasonable software flow, so that all functional modules can work in a coordinated and effective way.

Of course, when designing a modern UAV flight control system software, it is not only simple to make the aircraft fly, that is to say, the software module needs other extended functions besides the basic elements. A complete flight control software module includes:

1. Sensor module (including preprocessing/calibration module)

2. Communication module

3. Control input module (from ground or automatic control module)

4. Navigation/guidance module

5. Flight mode management module

6, parameter management module (control adjustable parameters, performance check, etc.)

7. Flight control module

8. Take-off/landing detection module

9. Emergency Disposal/Health Management Module

10. Data recording module