Evaluation of an advanced slung load control system for piloted cargo operations
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Evaluation of an advanced slung load control system for piloted cargo operations Daniel Nonnenmacher1 · Hyun‑Min Kim1 Received: 9 October 2018 / Revised: 11 April 2020 / Accepted: 10 June 2020 © Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. 2020
Abstract Helicopter operations with externally slung loads are highly demanding for the flight crew. As the pilot does not have a direct view of the load, assistance is required from an additional crew member to achieve operational requirements (e.g., for load handling to achieve precise load positioning). An automatic load stabilization and positioning system for cargo operations has been designed with the aim to reduce pilot workload, damp load pendulum motion and to improve the load positioning performance. This system uses the concept of load-motion feedback to the rotor control. To avoid degradation of Handling Qualities (HQs), as found in previous investigations, a function has been developed that monitors pilot control inputs. Dependent on the amplitude and duration of pilot control stick deflection, the feedback signal for slung load damping is blended between two different gain sets. One set provides improved HQs during piloted control and one set provides good load damping when the pilot is passive. A further novel aspect is the evaluation of an automatic load control system using a Translational Rate Command as a method of helicopter control. A piloted simulation study has been conducted using this advanced load control system with automatic load stabilization and positioning. Three test pilots evaluated the system in different control law configurations using a Mission Task Element simulating an external load cargo operation. HQs and pilot workload were evaluated using the Cooper-Harper Rating Scale and NASA Task Load Index, respectively. The results of the study show that improved HQs and reduced pilot workload in combination with improved task performance can be achieved with the advanced slung load control system. Keywords Helicopter · Slung load · Automatic stabilization · Automatic positioning · Cargo hook Abbreviations AC Attitude Command ACT/FHS Active Control Technology/Flying Helicopter Simulator AGL Above Ground Level ALCS Automatic Load Control System ALDS Automatic Load Damping System ALPS Automatic Load Positioning System AVES Air Vehicle Simulator BMWi Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy) BURRO Broadarea Unmanned Responsive Resupply Operations CONDUIT Control Designer’s Unified Interface * Daniel Nonnenmacher [email protected] 1
DLR, Institute of Flight Systems, Lilienthalplatz 7, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany
DLR Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt e.V. (German Aerospace Center) GS Groundspeed GVE Good Visual Environment HQ Handling Qualities HQR Handling Qualities Rating LFB Load Feedback MTE Mission Task Element NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration PIO Pilot Induced Oscillation RC Rate Command SISAL Sicherheitsrelevant
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