System Identification of a Rotary-Wing Micro Air Vehicle

For a given aerial vehicle, knowledge of a linearized dynamic model greatly aids the development of observers for state estimation and controllers for automation. However, a linearized model consists of stability and control derivatives that can be difficult to obtain from first-principles modeling. This paper presents the identification of a linearized model for a small electric helicopter about the hovering flight condition using control input and kinematic time histories. The methodology utilized frequency response-based system identification and error estimation routines developed at the Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate located at Moffett Field, California.