Project I Laboratory Description: The goal of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is to achieve operation from relatively small airports and yet operate as a normal aircraft in level flight

Project I

Laboratory Description: The goal of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is to achieve operation from relatively small airports and yet operate as a normal aircraft in level flight. An aircraft taking off in a form similar to a missile is inherently unstable. A control system using adjustable jets can control the vehicle. The dynamics of a jump-jet aircraft can be represented by an open-loop transfer function shown in Figure 1.

Laboratory assignment:

Part 1. For the open-loop control system described by the following block diagram, use

MATLAB/SIMULINK to plot unit step response of the system output y(f) .

          r → s +1/s(s-1)(s+6) →  y

Figure 1 A jump-jet aircraft system

Part 2. Consider the closed loop control system shown below

R →⁺_- Σ → K → s+1/s(s-1)(s+6)-----------y

Figure 2 Closed loop control system

Where K is the gain of the proportional controller. Use MATLAB/SIMULINK to plot unit step response of the system output y(t) for the following three cases:

Case1: K =24

Case2: K =12

Case3: K =6

and compare the differences among them.

Part 3. Compare the results in part 1 and part 2, what are your conclusions? After this laboratory, every student is required to write and submit an individual lab report in two weeks.

Explanation about this laboratory: this project is designed to aid students in understanding and mastering the important concepts, and acquiring the corresponding skills as listed below:

• Understand the concept of stability and how important it is for a dynamic system.
• Know how to obtain transient responses by using MATLAB/SIMULINK.
• Be aware of constructing a feedback control to let an unstable system become a stable system.