Hybrid Intelligent Flight Control with Adaptive Learning Parameter Estimation

This paper presents a recent development of a hybrid adaptive control method that further extends the intelligent flight control technology to improve command-t racking performance of aircraft operating in offnominal flight conditions. The hybrid method is based on adap tive learning laws for on-line parameter estimation of aircraft plant dynamics in conjunction with an existing neural net direct adaptation strategy. Two parameter estimation learning laws are presented: 1) an indirect adaptive learning law derived from the Lyapunov stability theory and 2) a recursive least-squares learning law. A simulation of a damaged generic aircraft demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid intelligent flight control method.