Autonomous Landing with Forward Slipping for Maximum Descend Authority

At #unistuttgartifr, we have been investigating the #autonomous landing of fixed-wing aircraft for many years. We aim to increase the flexibility of existing concepts and enhance the capabilities of both fully autonomous solutions and #pilot #assistance systems.

In 2022, Andreas Steinleitner performed successful flight demonstrations of a novel forward slipping #guidance and #control algorithm to allow for a more flexible landing approach for self-flying planes.

Forward slipping is a maneuver primarily applied on General Aviation #aircraft in which an artificially created sideslip angle results in increased aerodynamic drag. Thus, forward slipping enables steeper landing approach angles with a higher sink rate without compromising the desired landing speed. Pilots commonly use the technique when flying planes without spoilers.

Automating forward slipping offers #autopilot capabilities that are especially handy during emergency landings on unknown terrain. Andreas Steinleitner performed flight tests with an in-house built and modified unpiloted aircraft. The results validate a significantly increased range of achievable glide slopes during autonomous landings.

For a more detailed technical presentation of the devised control concept, please be referred to the associated scientific paper, a manuscript version of which can be accessed on ResearchGate.