Identification of Aeroelastic Models for the X-56A Longitudinal Dynamics Using Multisine Inputs and Output Error in the Frequency Domain

Abstract

System identification from measured flight test data was conducted using the X-56A aeroelastic demonstrator to identify a longitudinal flight dynamics model that included the short period, first symmetric wing bending, and first symmetric wing torsion modes. Orthogonal phase-optimized multisines were used to simultaneously excite multiple control effectors while a flight control system was active. Non-dimensional stability and control derivatives parameterizing an aeroelastic model were estimated using the output-error approach to match Fourier transforms of measured output response data. The predictive capability of the identified model was demonstrated using other flight test data with different inputs and at a different flight conditions. Modal characteristics of the identified model were explored and compared with other predictions. Practical aspects of the experiment design and system identification analysis, specific to flexible aircraft, are also discussed. Overall, the approach used was successful for identifying aeroelastic flight dynamics models from flight test data.