Application and Flight Testing of an Adaptive Autopilot on Precision Guided Munitions

Abstract

This paper presents the application of an adaptive control methodology to an existing linear gain-scheduled production control laws of two precision guided munitions and its subsequent evaluation. The adaptive control software is operated in parallel with the existing autopilot and outputs from the adaptive control software are treated as increments to the control surface deflections commanded by a baseline autopilot. A major advantage of this methodology is that it provides the benefit of adaptation without requiring modification of the baseline autopilot software. An overview of issues related to the implementation and testing of the adaptive control algorithm are provided along with results from flight testing.