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Aerospace and Defense
The MathWorks Aerospace and Defense Conference 2006
“Innovation Across the Industry”
June 14-15, 2006, Reston, VA
- Overview
- Presentations - General Sessions
- Conference Agenda
- Abstracts - General Sessions
- Partners
Communication Range Analysis: Using Interactive MATLAB Application Program
John Conneely, Avionics Systems Integration, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
The communication range achieved in a radio link between a helicopter and a ground station is a function of several parameters: transmitter power, receiver sensitivity, antenna gain, and RF propagation loss. In this paper I determine the communication range for this system under a variety of environmental conditions.
In order to facilitate the analysis, I have developed an interactive MATLAB application program. The program incorporates antenna radiation pattern data computed by a numerical electromagnetic application and data from the antenna manufacturer. It computes and plots the installed antenna gain as a function of frequency and observation angle. The program computes the RF propagation loss as a statistical quantity for a climate zone and a terrain type. The communication range is computed using an iterative algorithm and shown in a plot versus frequency and helicopter altitude.
I highlight the role played by the MATLAB application program in this analysis. This program makes extensive use of MATLAB programming features that include object-oriented code, graphical user interfaces, and FORTRAN MEX-files. It provides a command-line interpreter and a scripting capability to facilitate batch-mode processing. It also provides a polar plot of antenna gain that is correlated and dynamically updated with the orientation of a 3-D patch model of the helicopter.
Communication System Design
Mike McLernon, The MathWorks
Software-defined radio (SDR) is an emerging technology that enables multiple communications standards to be dynamically employed on a single hardware platform. The defense community is investing heavily in SDR through the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program. This presentation illustrates how The MathWorks is working with the SDR community to apply Model-Based Design to SDR development. The talk demonstrates how a floating point model of a commonly used SDR waveform can be converted to and optimized for fixed point. The talk also shows how that model can generate efficient, tailored code for a given target.
Displaying Aircraft in MATLAB Only Flight Simulators Using Virtual Reality
Edward Mayhew, Syracuse Research Corporation
This presentation shows how to create and demonstrate virtual environment simulations using Virtual Reality Toolbox. It also shows the ability to fly 3-D aircraft with six degrees of freedom through realistic synthetic environments. Engineers involved in certain activities—manned or unmanned flight simulations, flight analysis, GNC design validation, testing sensor management systems, and ISR applications—can see the benefits of working in the MATLAB environment using Image Processing Toolbox, Mapping Toolbox, MATLAB Compiler, and Virtual Reality Toolbox.
Distributed Computing with MATLAB and Simulink
Narfi Stefansson
The distributed computing tools enable engineers and scientists to develop distributed and parallel MATLAB applications and execute them in a cluster of computers. This presentation introduces Distributed Computing Toolbox 2 and the MATLAB Distributed Computing Engine, and discusses their use in aerospace applications. These products allow users to perform intensive computations that were previously unworkable on a single computer and offer faster time-to-solution.
First Civilian Tiltrotor Takes Flight
David King, Bell Helicopter
With the maiden flight of the Bell/Agusta 609 Tiltrotor, a revolution in civil air transport was launched. Like a helicopter, the BA609 takes off and lands vertically. Once aloft, the nine-passenger aircraft flies like a turboprop (at nearly twice the speed of a helicopter) allowing it to satisfy a wide range of missions from executive transport to oil exploration, search and rescue, and emergency medical services. BA609 Aircraft 1, the world's fastest civilian vertical take off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, continues successful flight testing at Bell Helicopter's XworX facility, having reached a speed of 304 knots (550 mph) and an altitude of 25,000 feet.
Initiated in 1996, the BA609 program was confronted with numerous challenges associated with developing an innovative aircraft. This paper presents the BA609 as a case study for integrating Model-Based Design and simulation into the systems engineering process. Starting with stringent flight control requirements and basic assumptions, the BA609 development team used frequent and extensive simulations to develop a fly-by-wire flight control system that has performed flawlessly in flight test demonstrations. An iterative design approach using MATLAB, Simulink, Real-Time Workshop, and Control Systems Toolbox yielded a set of flight control laws for low-workload control along with active structural loads protection.
An FPGA-based Airborne Image Processing Application Using MDE Techniques
Eddie Power, Tom Pitchforth, and Alison Lucie
SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems
This presentation describes the design of an image processing (target detection) application for an airborne application using MATLAB, Simulink, and System Generator (Xilinx). The objective was to take an existing microprocessor-based algorithm coded in C, enhance the algorithm, and target an FPGA for increased performance. The project took six months from receipt of the algorithm to integration of FPGA processing hardware into the target system.
The presentation describes the design process in detail through Matlab, Simulink Floating Point to Fixed Point and through System Gen to Synthesisable Hardware & Hardware-in-the-Loop testing and emphasizes the techniques used to verify the output at each stage in the process, ultimately verifying the FPGA implementation against the reference MATLAB system model. It also covers the technique used to develop and validate the design of the interface between the system host CPU and the FPGA.
Guest Speaker: John Robb, Senior Manager of Air Vehicle Software, Lockheed Martin
John Robb is the Senior Manager of the Air Vehicle Software team at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. His team is responsible for the definition, coordination, and support of processes and tools used by over 35 different software development teams across the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. His team is also responsible for leading the Software Quantitative Management activities for the program. The total size of air vehicle software for the F-35 will grow to approximately 11 million source lines of code (SLOC) by 2011.
John has an M.S. degree in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Arlington and B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, both from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a regular lecturer on Software Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.
Hardware and Software Integration Testing Using xPC Target
Bryan Galusha, Rockwell Collins
Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation of an Aircraft Brake System
Alan Johnson, Cessna Aircraft Company, Wichita, KS
Aircraft brake system performance is studied by combining brake system hardware and a Simulink model of an aircraft into a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation. The hardware includes a brake-metering valve, an antiskid valve and its control unit, a pressure source, brake lines, and brakes. The software model of the aircraft incorporates lift, drag, engine thrust, and trailing link main landing gear. Real-Time Workshop makes communication between hardware and software possible by running the aircraft model in real time. HIL enables us to design and test improvements to a brake system without using valuable flight time on experimental aircraft.
Implementing a GPS Receiver with DSP and FPGA Hardware Using the Simulink and Related Tools
Mike Donovan, The MathWorks
This presentation provides an overview of designing and verifying an operational GPS receiver channel using Simulink and other MathWorks tools. Once the design is verified through simulation, the presentation demonstrates the path to real-time implementation and code generation for GPPs, DSPs, and FPGAs, including validation and verification tools and techniques.
MATLAB, Simulink, and Cantera for Aerospace Thermodynamic System Modeling
Joshua E. Freeh, Ananda Himansu, Christopher J. Steffen, Jr., Robert T. Tornabene, and Xiao-yen J. Wang
NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH
We used the combination of MATLAB, Simulink, and Cantera1 (an open-source, third-party chemistry package) to analyze a steady-state fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid power system designed for a high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)2. The system consists of liquid hydrogen storage, a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), a two-stage radial compressor and turbine set, and the required heat exchangers.
We parametrically analyzed the model at different altitudes and power levels. We varied some of the most important but uncertain variables, such as turbomachinery efficiencies and SOFC area-specific resistance, to understand their relative effect on the overall system. We optimized the model using a variety of MATLAB algorithms to minimize overall system mass.
The results show that for long missions of 10 days or more, the fuel mass savings from the high efficiency of an SOFC/gas turbine system more than offset the larger powerplant mass of such a system. Though further analysis is needed to understand the off-design and dynamic system performance as well as integration to an airframe, these results show the importance of system-level modeling for such a unique application. The results also show the ease of use and flexibility of the MATLAB, Simulink, and Cantera combination.
[1] D.G. Goodwin, www.cantera.org, California Institute of Technology, 2006.
[2] A. Himansu, J.E. Freeh, C.J. Steffen, Jr., R.T. Tornabene, and X.J. Wang, Fourth International ASME Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering, and Technology, FUELCELL2006-97095, Irvine, CA, 2006.
A MATLAB Tool for the Study of Propagation Maps in MANETS
Scott L. Rosen, John A. Stine, and William J. Weiland
Node State Routing (NSR), the mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) routing protocol, uses propagation maps to capture how well a node can hear its neighbors. We created a new tool called Single Hop Propagation Map Evaluation Tool (SHOPMET) to study the effects propagation maps on NSR protocols within wireless ad hoc networks. SHOPMET was developed in MATLAB and interfaces with C for data management assistance.
In particular, the simulation tool SHOPMET supports the study of the optimization of propagation map size and the longevity of propagation map relevance as well as the methodology for collecting propagation observations that best suits NSR. This paper focuses on the development and demonstration of SHOPMET.
Modeling Complex Systems Using SimEvents
Giovanni Mancini, The MathWorks
This talk provides a brief introduction to SimEvents and its capabilities. SimEvents extends Simulink with tools for modeling and simulating discrete-event systems. Discrete-event modeling provides a higher level of modeling abstraction by removing to the need to reference a specific time for all activities. This capability is useful in distributed control systems, communication systems, real time systems, industrial automation, and any system that requires modeling access to finite resources.
Modeling of a Naval Electrical Power Generation and Propulsion System
Paul Norton, Chief Marine Engineer (Electrical), UK Ministry of Defence
Andrew Bennett, Senior Engineer, Consulting Services, The MathWorks
The Marine Electrical Systems Integrated Project Team (MLS IPT) is responsible for naval marine power systems within the Warship Support Agency, UK Ministry of Defence. The team's remit includes in-service support, expert advice regarding modifications, and the integration and design of marine power and propulsion systems. In support of these objectives, the IPT is the Ministry of Defence lead on power system design and simulation.
Modeling marine power and propulsion systems is challenging, but has the potential to significantly reduce the cost and risk associated with the design and acquisition process. The scope of a typical model may include the observation of phenomena over a wide range of fidelity—harmonic distortion of signals, electromechanical response, control loop stability, fuel-to-thrust performance, and platform management system integration.
MLS IPT and The MathWorks have developed models of marine power systems and a library of generic components to support them. In this paper, we present a model of a warship currently under construction in the UK, together with representative results. We show how Model-Based Design feeds directly into the planning and design stages of the acquisition cycle, enabling, for example, desktop comparison of different drive configurations or prime-mover combinations.
Rapid Deployment of Aerospace Flight Controls
Edward Burnett, Lockheed Martin, Aeronautics
A discussion of current issues effecting Aerospace Flight Control Development is presented in this talk. Some of the external forces impacting aerospace design are discussed and a review of historic data and a drill down into the specifics of flight controls design is made to understand where these issues can best be addressed, both in terms of cost and development schedule. From this review a possible solution is offered based on Model-Based Design. Several aspects of this design methodology are discussed along with their benefits and a timeline of a recent program is used to highlight the effectiveness of this design process.
Tuning Multi-Loop Compensators to Meet Time- and Frequency-Domain Requirements
John Glass, The MathWorks
A discussion of current issues effecting Aerospace Flight Control Development is presented in this talk. Some of the external forces impacting aerospace design are discussed and a review of historic data and a drill down into the specifics of flight controls design is made to understand where these issues can best be addressed, both in terms of cost and development schedule. From this review a possible solution is offered based on Model-Based Design. Several aspects of this design methodology are discussed along with their benefits and a timeline of a recent program is used to highlight the effectiveness of this design process.
Using MathWorks tools to generate code for DO-178B Applications
Bill Potter, The MathWorks
This presentation provides examples of how to use Model-Based Design for applications that are required to meet ARP-4754, Certification Considerations for Highly-Integrated or Complex Aircraft Systems, and DO-178B, Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification. The presentation provides examples of the requirements, design, and code artifacts for the development cycle of a certified system. The presentation also provides examples of the verification and validation artifacts required as evidence for certification of a system. We discuss special considerations applicable to certification programs that employ Model-Based Design and how to use MathWorks tools to address these special considerations.
Using Model-Based Design to Design Real-Time Video Processing Systems
Bruce Tannenbaum, The MathWorks
Video processing systems pose design challenges such as high computational demands; trade-offs in price, power, and size; and testing and verification on target hardware. In this presentation, we demonstrate Model-Based Design for video processing systems. The design flow includes prototyping video and image processing applications using Simulink, Signal Processing Blockset, and Video and Image Processing Blockset, and then automatically generating efficient code for a DSP chip using Real-Time Workshop.
