Wind Estimation for Small Fixed-Wing UAV U sing Standard Sensors

International audienceAn approach of wind estimation using Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is proposed based on mea surements provided by a standard sensor suite and simplified aerodynamic models used as virtual sideslip and incidence sensors. In a first step, virtual sensors models parameters and Pitot tube calibration factor are estimated by off-line estimation methods as Iterated Extended Kalman Smoother, Filter-error mini mization and Maximum a posteriori. Specific manoeuvres and quiet atmosphere are required. In a second step, on-line wind estimation is realised by an EKF based on calibrated models and able to estimate a sudden wind gust with no delay as well as turbulence