Record Display for the EPA National Library Catalog

RECORD NUMBER: 29 OF 42

Main Title Platform Precision Autopilot Overview and Mission Performance.
Author B. K. Strovers ; J. A. Lee
CORP Author NASA Dryden Flight Research Center; NASA Dryden Flight Research Center; Geological Survey
Year Published 2009
Report Number DFRC-951
Stock Number N20090029224
Additional Subjects Automatic pilots ; Instrument landing systems ; Synthetic aperture radar ; Pilotless aircraft ; Global positioning system ; Polarimetry ; Ultrahigh frequencies ; Trajectories ; Flight tests
Holdings
Library Call Number Additional Info Location Last
Modified
Checkout
Status
NTIS  N20090029224 Some EPA libraries have a fiche copy filed under the call number shown. 07/26/2022
Collation 8p
Abstract
The Platform Precision Autopilot is an instrument landing system-interfaced autopilot system, developed to enable an aircraft to repeatedly fly nearly the same trajectory hours, days, or weeks later. The Platform Precision Autopilot uses a novel design to interface with a NASA Gulfstream III jet by imitating the output of an instrument landing system approach. This technique minimizes, as much as possible, modifications to the baseline Gulfstream III jet and retains the safety features of the aircraft autopilot. The Platform Precision Autopilot requirement is to fly within a 5-m (16.4-ft) radius tube for distances to 200 km (108 nmi) in the presence of light turbulence for at least 90 percent of the time. This capability allows precise repeat-pass interferometry for the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar program, whose primary objective is to develop a miniaturized, polarimetric, L-band synthetic aperture radar. Precise navigation is achieved using an accurate differential global positioning system developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Flight-testing has demonstrated the ability of the Platform Precision Autopilot to control the aircraft within the specified tolerance greater than 90 percent of the time in the presence of aircraft system noise and nonlinearities, constant pilot throttle adjustments, and light turbulence.