MATHEMATICAL MODELING, COMPUTER SIMULATION, CONTROL AND APPLICATIONS OF A STABILIZED PLATFORM OF AN AIRBORNE SENSOR

A high precision stabilized platform has been developed at the University of Applied Sciences Bochum- in cooperation with others. The platform is designed to carry different types of remote sensing devices. It is the goal that the system is able to provide precisely stabilized imagery even for low flying light aircrafts under turbulent air conditions. Residual image inclinations and yaw deviations are recorded. Together with the data of the (D)GPS augmented inertial navigation system (INS) the complete exterior orientation data are delivered. At the University of Kassel (Control Engineering and System Theory Group) detailed model equations in DE-form (differential equations) of the spatial motions of the stabi-lized platform have been developed. These model equations serve as basis for a computer simulation of the mechanism, for nonlinear and linear controller design and model parameter identification using test flight data. The computer sim-ulation is used to investigate the influence of various control algorithms, filter algorithms, actuators and other components under various external and internal disturbances in order to find optimal solutions for a fast and precise stabilization of a remote sensing device (camera, scanner, video, etc.). A research airplane is available to measure in-flight data under different air conditions. By a comparison of actual in-flight data and simulation data, a detailed analysis of the system is carried out. The results of this research work are considered to be of basic importance for imaging systems to be operated under turbulent air conditions (e.g. light aircraft flying low). To produce optimal coverage with a scanning system or wit