AME Professor Publishes New Book

andrea-lafflitto-a-mathematical-perspective-on-flight-dynamics-and-control-book

 

Dr. Andrea L’Afflitto has recently published a new book titled A Mathematical Perspective on Flight Dynamics and Control. The book provides a mathematically rigorous description of flight dynamics complementing those presented from a physical perspective.

About this Book

This brief presents several aspects of flight dynamics, which are usually omitted or briefly mentioned in textbooks, in a concise, self-contained, and rigorous manner. The kinematic and dynamic equations of an aircraft are derived starting from the notion of the derivative of a vector and then thoroughly analyzed, interpreting their deep meaning from a mathematical standpoint and without relying on physical intuition. Moreover, some classic and advanced control design techniques are presented and illustrated with meaningful examples.

Distinguishing features that characterize this brief include a definition of angular velocity, which leaves no room for ambiguities, an improvement on traditional definitions based on infinitesimal variations. Quaternion algebra, Euler parameters, and their role in capturing the dynamics of an aircraft are discussed in great detail. After having analyzed the longitudinal- and lateral-directional modes of an aircraft, the linear-quadratic regulator, the linear-quadratic Gaussian regulator, a state-feedback H-infinity optimal control scheme, and model reference adaptive control law are applied to aircraft control problems. To complete the brief, an appendix provides a compendium of the mathematical tools needed to comprehend the material presented in this brief and presents several advanced topics, such as the notion of semistability, the Smith–McMillan form of a transfer function, and the differentiation of complex functions: advanced control-theoretic ideas helpful in the analysis presented in the body of the brief.

A Mathematical Perspective on Flight Dynamics and Control will give researchers and graduate students in aerospace control an alternative, mathematically rigorous means of approaching their subject.

About the Author:

The author is an assistant professor at the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering of The University of Oklahoma and is presently teaching a graduate course in flight control. Dr. L’Afflitto holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degree in aerospace engineering and an M.S. degree in Mathematics and his research is currently focused on optimal control theory and differential games theory with applications to aerospace control problems, such as fuel-optimal path planning and formation flying.

 

To purchase or learn more about this book, please visit: http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319474663

Control of a Quadrotor Using Adaptive Control Project

A group of students from Dr. Andrea L’afflitto’s Flight Controls class created the following video:

According to Dr. L’afflitto, this project consisted of designing an autopilot for a quadrotor using some modern, very aggressive control techniques. The purpose of this video is to show the results achieved graphically, however, the mathematical models, the control design problem and the numerical simulations have very deep roots.

“I am extremely proud of their work because these are all undergraduate students, but the quality and the mathematical complexity is the one of a graduate project,” said Dr. L’afflitto. “We all can imagine the impact of the development of such technology, considering the growing attention that OU is putting on the UAS technology.”

Video Transcript:

This video shows the result of a students’’ project developed as part of the AME 4513/5513 “Flight Controls” course at the University of Oklahoma in Fall 2016. A DJI F450 will inspect some buildings of OU’s main campus. The drone’s autopilot implements an algorithm based on Model Reference Adaptive Control.

An important feature of this simulation is that the quadrotor dynamics is not captured by a set of nonlinear differential equations, but it is deduced from a SimMechanics model of a DJI F450. This guarantees high accuracy of the results presented.

The adaptive control technology allows precise, aggressive maneuvers in the vicinity of obstacles, such as buildings.

[VIDEO]

Next, we compare the performance of a quadrotor (in white) implementing an adaptive control law and a quadrotor (in black) implementing a classic PID controller.

[VIDEO]

Created by: Blake Anderson

Riley Cotter

Jordan Logue

Kevin Murray Jr.

Dr. Keith Walters Awarded New Research Grant

keith-walters-bioDr. Keith Walters was awarded $37,363.00 for his research project titled “Multiphysics Simulations of Multi-Component, Off-Design Aircraft Engine Operation Using Dynamic Hybrid RANS/LES.”

The grant is a subcontract from ATA Engineering, Inc., in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory and Mississippi State University, funded under the Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP), specifically the HPCMP Applications Software Initiative (HASI) Project. They are working to develop enhanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models and algorithms to improve the prediction of flow and combustion in high-speed aircraft propulsion systems. Their focus at OU is the modeling and simulation of fluid turbulence. The team will be implementing newly developed models into the CFD software Loci-CHEM and providing the new tools to their collaborators at ATA and AFRL. This is the first year of a potentially four year project, subject to project progress and funding availability. The research group is hopeful to be awarded Year 2 funding.

New Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Hamidreza Shabgard

hamidreza-shabgard-bioDr. Hamidreza Shabgard joined AME as an Assistant Professor in the Fall 2016 semester. He completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in thermal-fluid sciences at the University of Connecticut in 2014. Dr. Shabgard holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration of energy conversion from the Amirkabir University of Technology (Iran) and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Azad University of Mashhad (Iran).

After receiving his Ph.D., Dr. Shabgard took a post-doctoral position at Drexel University, where he worked on advanced dry-cooling technology for power plants. Dr. Shabgard’s research interests include multiphase flow and heat transfer, particulate flow, CFD, thermal energy storage, and heat pipes. His work is focused on the development of efficient and sustainable energy systems through a fundamental understanding of the underlying physics involved in fluid flow and heat transfer, as well as, innovative thermofluidic design.

Dr. Shabgard has big plans for his time at the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, “Energy is critical in our daily lives and is closely tied to environment and natural resources. My work is related to energy and in particular the thermal-fluid systems involved in production, conversion, storage, transfer and management of energy. As a faculty member in AME, I will have the opportunity to work with students and carry out cutting edge research in one of the finest educational institutions.”

New Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Chung-Hao Lee

chung-hao-lee-bioDr. Chung-Hao Lee was an ICES/AHA postdoctoral fellow in the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES) at the University of  Texas at Austin. Since 2012, he worked with Professor Michael Sacks on heart valve biomechanics. Previously, he graduated with a B.S. and M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan in 2003 and 2005, respectively, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Major in Structural & Computational Mechanics) from UCLA in 2011, working with Professor J.S. Chen on his dissertation on Atomistic to Continuum Modeling of DNA Molecules.

Dr. Lee’s research interests revolve around image-based computational biomechanics, tissue mechanical and microstructural quantifications, structure- based constitutive models for biological tissues, and multiscale materials modeling, with a primary focus on improving patient-specific healthcare of cardiovascular diseases by integrating essential biomechanical processes across molecular, cellular, tissue and organ scales.

He is excited for the new research opportunities at OU, “I am looking forward to collaborating with the colleagues in the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and the Gallogly College of Engineering at OU. Collaborative research across disciplines will bring together engineers like me and surgeons and clinicians to facilitate health-related biomedical research.”

New Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Keith Walters

keith-walters-bio      Dr. Keith Walters obtained his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University. He joined Mississippi State University in 2003, was promoted to Professor in 2015, and served as Associate Director of the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems and Science Coordinator for the Mississippi National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR program.

While at MSU, he advised 18 graduate students, was inducted into the Bagley College of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Teachers, and was awarded an NSF CAREER award. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Fluids Engineering Division (FED) Executive Committee, past chair of FED, and an Associate Editor for the Journal of Fluids Engineering. He recently won the ASME 2016 Robert T. Knapp award for the outstanding original paper in fluids engineering arising from laboratory or analytical work.

Dr. Walters’ research interests cover a broad range of topics in fluid mechanics and heat transfer, with a focus on computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

In his new position as Professor at OU AME, he is looking forward to “Getting to know a whole new group of students, faculty, and staff, and having the opportunity to ‘restart’ my research program in the direction that best suits my interests. I can’t wait to see what we can build here.”

Former AME Board Member and Educator Donna Shirley Receives the Annie Oakley Society Award

 

coe-leadership-donna-shirley

It is no secret that each day at AME we salute the work of our students, staff and faculty members past and present. On October 13, 2016, we were fortunate enough to celebrate the work of our own alumna and former College of Engineering Assistant Dean & Instructor Donna Shirley, who was presented with the Annie Oakley Society Award at the society’s sixth annual luncheon and award ceremony. Notably in attendance were Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma, Gallogly College of Engineering Dean Tom Landers and other GCoE leadership, AME Professor David Miller and members of the Sooner Rover Team. The Annie Oakley Society is comprised of women leaders and philanthropists who, like Annie Oakley, play significant roles in shaping our communities and creating new horizons.[1] Also recognized at the award ceremony was Jo Rowan, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions in the field of dance and creative arts.

Meet Donna

At age 17, Donna Shirley earned her pilot’s license, won the Miss Wynnewood, OK crown, and competed in the Miss Oklahoma pageant. Following high school, she enrolled at the University of Oklahoma, obtaining a technical writing degree in 1962 and a bachelor’s degree from AME in 1965. She went on to enjoy a more than 30-year career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and retired in 1998 as the Manager of the Mars Exploration Program. During her time at NASA, Ms. Shirley lead the team that built and successfully landed the Mars rover “Sojourner” in 1997. Ms. Shirley remarked that the was the lone female of 2000+ person group at JPL at that time. She then became assistant dean of the College of Engineering at OU, where in the past she was told that girls could never be engineers – she has fought successfully to help transform that attitude. After a brief introduction, the conversation with Ms. Shirley spearheaded into a discussion of the role and importance of women in engineering.

donna-shirley-annie-oakley-award

It’s “easier” now…

Ms. Shirley gave clear and concise advice to all in attendance regarding the state of affairs for women in highly scientific fields like Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering. She said, “It’s easier [being a female in engineering] now but remember, you must be good [at whatever you’re doing].” She went on to explain that in the competitive hiring and retention environment of engineering, we must all strive to be the best at what we do. “Learning is ultimately important and not relying solely on grades”, she explained. Donna casually outlined one story she thought was important to note in which a disagreement developed between her and a male colleague. She handled the situation by relying only on the technical work she had done – outshining the negative attention only by being better. This an attitude she hopes all engineers (not only women) will adopt.

Congratulations!

We at the School of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering congratulate Donna Shirley on her award and applaud her for the way she continues to advocate for women in engineering. To celebrate her efforts, AME pledges to strive to always be an environment conducive to the success of everyone we interact with. Please join us as we recognize her hard work.

­­

  • By: Jawanza Bassue – MS Aerospace Engineering Candidate 2017

[1] http://nationalcowboymuseum.org/join-give/the-annie-oakley-society/

Sooner Rover Team Breaks Record at NASA Competition

Sooner Rover Team recently took home the gold at the 6th Annual RASC-AL Robo-Ops Challenge sponsored by NASA. Not only did the Sooner Rover Team win the national competition, they set records, beating the standing rock yard record by over 200%. The team finished with a final score of 132. The second place team trailed behind with a score of 48.

The Robo-Ops Challenge took place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The selected student teams had to design life-sized rovers that could move and climb through various terrain, collect rock samples and store them, and navigate through the rock yard all while being controlled remotely from each team’s home university with real-time video feeds from the rovers’ cameras. Teams had one hour to collect and secure the rock samples along with bonus challenges. In addition to the rock yard challenge, teams also had to present a technical paper, a poster and carry out a public outreach program.

Among the eight teams at the competition, Sooner Rover Team stood out from the beginning with their unique design. Rovie McRoverface (the rover’s given name) was modeled after a 1980’s Russian lunar rover featuring a spine, six cone-shaped wheels and a robotic arm. This allowed the rover to bend and travel through various terrain at the competition more easily. Clearly, the unique design paid off.

Rovie McRoverface collected all 26 rock samples and completed all four bonus challenges flawlessly. The team’s score was recorded on the scoreboard by NASA followed with a “WOW.” But, seriously.

“I felt a little like I was dreaming that the rover was performing so well,” said Dane Schoelen, Sooner Rover Team Project Lead. “When mission control successfully completed the contingencies task through amazing teamwork and improvisation, I felt like there was no way I wasn’t dreaming. It is satisfying that after all of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into creating our rover, we were able to put on an outstanding performance.”

The team is made up of all Gallogly College of Engineering students and advised by AME Professor David Miller, Ph.D. The team members at mission control were Bill Doyle, Brent Wolf, Alex Borgerding, Jacob Jordan, Oskar Paredes, Ashley Findley, Janella Clary, Matthew Solcher and Aaron Condreay, and the members who went to competition were Nathan Justus, Dane Schoelen and Kevin Cotrone.

DSC_4838

The team won first place, broke and set records and brought home a $6,000 prize that they hope will go towards next year’s rover. It is safe to say the team will be set with experienced members as Nathan Justus was the only senior. He will start his career at NASA in Houston as an operations engineer at mission control for the International Space Station.

“I cannot emphasize enough how hard our team worked to make sure that we were prepared for that day. Our performance and the recognition we got from NASA, NIA, and the other teams made all of that work worth it,” said Nathan Justus, Sooner Rover Team Chief Engineer. “Of course, the project had merit of its own and the learning process was substantial, but whatever, it feels good to have DESTROYED and earned that with blood and mind power.”

Congratulations, Sooner Rover Team! We are so proud of your hard work and success!

Dalton Awarded Brandon H. Griffith Award

Dalton_WebChris Dalton, Ph.D., was recently awarded the Brandon H. Griffith Award at the Engineer’s Week banquet on Saturday, February 27, 2016. The Brandon H. Griffith Award was established in 1969 in honor of Professor Brandon H. Griffith, one of the most beloved and respected professors ever to teach in the Gallogly College of Engineering. The award recognizes excellence in teaching and extraordinary support for students. Professors receiving this award have demonstrated their dedication while making their teaching a priority.

Dr. Dalton was born in Wichita, Kansas, but has spent over 11 years of his life in Norman as both a student and a faculty member. He received his Bachelors, Masters and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Dalton returned to OU AME in August 2015 as an Assistant Professor of Engineering Practice after spending several years as a Professor of Practice in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Even though Dr. Dalton has only been teaching at OU for less than one year, it is evident to his students that he will do amazing things at AME for many years to come.

When asked what his favorite thing about teaching students is, Dr. Dalton stated, “I love seeing improvement in performance over the course of the semester.”

Congratulations, Dr. Chris Dalton!

NORDAM Donates to Aerospace Engineering Capstone Team

The School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma is excited to welcome NORDAM as a significant contributor to the Aerospace Engineering Capstone Program. NORDAM gifted $5,000 to AIAA Design Build Fly (DBF), an Aerospace Engineering Capstone team. Because of this donation, the team members will receive an enhanced experiential learning experience while working on their project and finishing their aerospace engineering degrees.

NORDAM 2

“We are pleased to offer financial support for this worthy project, and equally excited to bring the insights and expertise of NORDAM’s own stakeholders as student design advisors,” said Bailey J. Siegfried, NORDAM Vice President of Global Marketing. “By lending our support to the Capstone Program, we’re continuing our commitment to collaborate with the community to inspire the next generation of aerospace leaders.”

Dr. Thomas Hays, AME Assistant Professor, is the current advisor of DBF and co-chair of the Aerospace Engineering Capstone Program. Like the students, he is more than ready to put the NORDAM donation to good use. The support from NORDAM has enabled the development of a small electric propulsion Dynamometer and the purchase of vacuum pump roll carts, and has also provided materials for DBF’s structural optimization and characterization study.

“The Dynamometer is presently being designed and created by AME students as a combination of independent study and capstone projects,” said Hays. “It will be ready for use by the 2016-2017 DBF team to measure real propeller and motor and battery performance in the L.A. Comp Subsonic Wind Tunnel at AME, enabling true-to-life characterization of propulsion system design space.”

In addition, the vacuum pump roll carts will be mobile assets used by the team to compact composite layups and experience industry level composite fabrication methods in the Aerospace Engineering Capstone Program. NORDAM’s funding also enabled an independent study project investigating weight optimal structural design through combined FEA and physical article testing. These are just three projects that are currently happening directly because of NORDAM’s support, with budget remaining for DBF materials, tooling and project support.

Along with the gift, NORDAM representatives will meet and advise the AIAA DBF capstone team for design reviews and for a final review at the end of the spring semester. On December 8th, the NORDAM representatives visited the team. Josh Giguiere, Raegen Siegfried and Holly Dyer met the team for a lunch meeting and a brief overview of the progress of their project. The next design review is scheduled for Thursday, February 18th.

“This donation and the relationship with NORDAM offers a direct improvement to the readiness and quality of the AME graduates that will benefit both NORDAM and the University of Oklahoma in the years to come,” said Hays.

Many thanks to NORDAM for supporting AME and the Aerospace Engineering Capstone Program!

Connect with NORDAM: www.nordam.com   |   Twitter   |   Facebook