Analytical Redundancy in Control Systems for Unmanned Aircraft and Optionally Piloted Vehicles

The article presents key properties of a module intended to estimate non-measurable state variables of an aircraft (a fixed-wing aircraft). Sample calculations are applicable to the MP-02A Czajka light Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV). The quality of flight parameter values’ estimation is illustrated by comparing flight parameters of the MP-02A Czajka aircraft recorded during actual flight with estimated values of respective parameters calculated during simulation of selected sensor faults. This experiment allows to evaluate the usefulness of the analytical redundancy mechanism that determines attitude parameters (roll, pitch and heading angles) and navigational variables (airspeed, altitude and geographic coordinates).