Modeling, control, and flight testing of a small ducted-fan aircraft

Small ducted-fan autonomous vehicles have potential for several applications, especially for missions in urban environments. This paper discusses the use of dynamic inversion with neural-network adaptation to provide an adaptive controller for the GTSpy, a small ducted-fan autonomous vehicle based on the Micro Autonomous Systems' Helispy. This approach allows utilization of the entire low-speed flight envelope with a relatively poorly understood vehicle. A simulator model is constructed from a force and moment analysis of the vehicle, allowing for a validation of the controller in preparation for flight testing. Data from flight testing of the system are provided.