Current methods of wind measurement include anemometers and Pitot probes. These devices need calibration and can be expensive, heavy, and difficult to manufacture. A method of gust state estimation using distributed acceleration measurements is proposed in this study that removes the difficulties imposed by other wind probes. By precisely placing multiple accelerometers distributed away from the center of gravity, an aircraft’s translational and rotational acceleration states can be estimated. These acceleration states, which are proportional to the forces and moments acting on an aircraft, contain inherent information about wind gust disturbances. By feeding acceleration information through a state observer, wind gust velocity states can be estimated in addition to aircraft states.
The main contribution of this work is the development of a gust state observer that uses distributed acceleration measurements to provide estimates of gust velocities. To test the observer, an aircraft simulation was conducted using MATLAB and Simulink in which the aircraft was buffeted by translational and angular wind velocities for 15 seconds while flying at the trim condition. The aircraft model used was a linear model for the Tempest UAS and wind gusts were generated using the Dryden Turbulence Model. All aircraft velocity and acceleration states and control inputs were assumed known. Initial conditions for the gust velocities in the observer were chosen at random. The gust velocity estimates showed convergence to the simulated gust velocities over time and showed less error than traditional Kalman Filter estimates that were made without acceleration input. Future work includes testing this observer with actual flight data and comparing to Pitot probe measurements.
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