Flight control systems with optimal effector allocation accounting for load constraints

This paper describes the development of quadratic optimization algorithms to be used in flight control systems; such optimization algorithms aid in distributing control efforts among available actuators to produce forces to keep aircraft stable and in flight. With the advancement of computing power, new algorithms can be created to pursue secondary objectives. Such secondary objectives include accounting for load constraints to guarantee the structural integrity of the airframe. The algorithms have been tested and compared to various other algorithms using a transport aircraft model developed by NASA. The algorithms, primal dual and quadprog, showed satisfactory characteristics in various scenarios, including load constraints, such as proper timing, small iterations, and low cost, similar to well established algorithms. The load achieved by the algorithms was well within the imposed load limits.