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feedforward parameters, control fre-
quencies and amplitudes.
Conclusion and Further Steps
The tests and proof of the system’s
IBC capability at the DLR in Braun-
schweig helped bring the VAR-META
project to successful completion. After
the hardware and software were up-
dated and developed further, the
multiple-swashplate system comple-
ted its first wind tunnel test in the
low-speed wind tunnel of German-
Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW) in Sep-
tember 2015. The wind tunnel test
was conducted within the FTK-META
project (FTK = advanced swashplate
concepts) and took nine days. The aim
of the tests was to prove the influence
of active rotor control on noise, vibra-
tion and performance, as well as a
first function test of the multiple-
swashplate system under various simu-
lated flight conditions. The active rotor
control strategies realized with META
proved to reduce noise emissions by
up to 5 dB and vibrations by up to
90% (in individual components). In
rapid forward flight, the required rotor
power was reduced by up to 4%. The
system consisting of actuators and a
dSPACE real-time PC operated with-
out errors during the entire test. In
the follow-up project SKAT (= scala-
bility and risk minimization of tech-
nology with innovative design), the
multiple-swashplate system will be
used to research active rotor control
concepts on the new five-blade rotor
system. The project will also test a new
controller developed on a dSPACE
system that detects undesired vibra-
tions at the model and balances
them out by corresponding control
commands at the two swashplates.
Philip Küfmann, DLR
DLR BRAUNSCHWEIG
“We use dSPACE ControlDesk to carry out all of the measurement and
control tasks needed for the dynamic operation of META efficiently and
conveniently.”
Philip Küfmann, DLR
Control and monitoring systems for the wind tunnel test, with two ControlDesk layouts (on the right).
Watch META in the
wind tunnel:
www.dspace.com/go/ dMag_20161_META_EPhilip Küfmann
Philip Küfmann is responsible for mo-
dels and software for controlling the
multiple-swashplate system at the Ger-
man Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute
of Flight Systems in Braunschweig,
Germany.
Source: © DLR
The Multiple Swashplate System was
invented by Prof. Dr. Berend van der
Wall und Mr. Rainer Bartels at the DLR
Institute of Flight Systems and was pa-
tented in 2008 (Pat. Nr.: DE-10-2006-
030-089-D).
dSPACE Magazine 1/2016 · © dSPACE GmbH, Paderborn, Germany ·
info@dspace.com·
www.dspace.com