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Preliminary Study of Hovercraft Control System

Cordova

Supervisor: Dr. Ir. Mohammad Rohmanuddin, MT.

Study Program of Engineering Physics, Faculty of Industrial Technology,
Bandung Institute of Technology
Labtek VI Building, Jl. Ganesha 10, Bandung, Indonesia, 40132
e-mail: cordovaft04133@itb.ac.id



Abstract

In designing a hovercraft, there are many factor should be considered, such as skirt
design or plenum. We have to consider also the materials, structure, thrust, drag,
dynamic effect, and stability. Due the hovercraft using rudder mechanism to steer, the
fan must produce the sufficient air speed for the rudder to be effective as a control
surface. As a result, a hovercraft cannot generate a pure torque and is thus unable to turn
in place. The rudder is also mechanically limited and cannot produce force directed
along the lateral direction of the hovercraft. For these reasons, a hovercraft with is an
under actuated system. In this project, control system for steering a hovercraft and
provide lift for the hovercraft will be studied. Engineering software, MATLAB and
Simulink, will be used in designing the control system. This project is the first step to
design and build a hovercraft control system.

Keywords: Stability, rudder, lateral direction, under actuated.


I. Introduction

Indonesia is an archipelago country
which 70% of its area consist of water.
Indonesia has many locations pass by
the river flow path. Beside that,
Indonesia has also locations where risk
from natural disaster, such as
earthquake, flood, and even tsunami.
Due to that geographic condition,
Indonesia needs a vehicle which can
move fast and reliable in many
conditions, to use in transportation,
emergency condition, coast guard, and
search and rescue. Since the hovercraft
can move in almost all terrain
conditions, this vehicle is one of the
solutions which can satisfy those
requirements.


A Hovercraft, or Air-Cushion Vehicle,
is an amphibious vehicle designed to
travel over any sufficiently smooth
surface - land or water - supported by a
cushion of slowly moving, low-pressure
air, ejected downwards against the
surface close below it. To produce the
air cushion, the propeller is used to
provide lift by keeping a low-pressure
air cavity under the craft full of air.



Figure I.1: Main parts of the hovercraft; www.wikipedia.org

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1. Thrust fan
2. Air flow
3. Lift fan
4. Plenum/flexible skirt


II. Objective

The objective is to study a control
system for the hovercraft. The control
system is consists of motor control
system, and surface movement control
system.


III. Methodology

1. Derivation of the dynamic
system model.
2. Control system model
representation.
3. Simulate, and analyze control
system using MATLAB and
Simulink.


IV. Dynamics of Hovercraft

Dynamics of hovercraft motion is has 6
degrees of freedom, they are 3 degrees
in translation dynamics (surge, sway,
heave), and 3 degrees in rotation
dynamics (roll, pitch, yaw). A few
assumptions are made, such as
neglected roll, pitch, and heave, because
these movements have no considerable
influence. Since the hovercraft only
have lateral motion. So that, in this
project, the hovercraft assumed only has
3 degrees of freedom, which is surge(u),
sway(v), and yaw(r).

Two coordinate frames are chosen,
which is a body-fixed frame X
0
Y
0
Z
0
on
the hovercraft and an earth-fixed frame
XYZ.


Body-fixed
Earth-fixed
Y
Z
X
X0
Y0
Z0
v
w
u
p
r
q

Figure IV.1: Coordinate frames

State-space method is used to
representing the dynamics of hovercraft.
Since this method makes the dynamics
of hovercraft is easier to understand.

A state equation is a first order, vector
differential equation. It is represent the
equation of hovercraft motion. The
state-space general expression is:

x Ax Bu
y Cx Du
= +
= +
&


n
x R is the state vector
m
u R is the control vector
A is the state coefficient
B is the driving matrix

Dynamics of hovercraft:

1
r R
R
r R R
Y
Y Y
r
V V V
r r

| |
= + +
|
\
= + +
&
&


Obtained the state-space representation
of the dynamics of hovercraft:

| |
*
' '
'
1
0 1
R
R
v
R
r
Y Y
r r
y
r

(
( ( (
= + (
( ( (
(

(
=
(

&
&


1
tan
v v
u u

= = side-slip angle
= yaw moments

3
R
= rudder deflection
2 2
V u v = + = speed of the hovercraft


V. Dynamics of Electric Motor

Electric motor is used to control the
speed of the propellers which provide
lift force for the hovercraft. Lift force is
cause by the air pressure ejected
downwards against the surface.

Air Inlet
Air Outlet (low-pressure) Air Outlet (low-pressure)
Lift Propeller
Motor


Figure V.1: Hovercrafts plenum principle

Lift Force = Pressure x Surface Area

The electric motor input is dc current,
and the output is the angular speed of
the motor which depends on the torque.

t e t
in
k k k
T V
R R
T J

| | | |
=
| |
\ \
= &


Obtained the dynamics of the electric
motor:

e t t
in
k k k
I
JR J

| | | |
= +
| |
\ \
&

T = Motor torque
J = Inertia of the load
k
e
= Motors electric constant
k
t
= Torque constant
R = Electrical resistance
I
in
= Current input
= Angular velocity



VI. Control System Design and
Simulation Progress

Simple block diagram of the hovercraft
automatic steering control system

C HD
S
A
Input Output
Amp


C = Controller
Amp = Signal amplifier
A = Actuator (rudder)
HD = Hovercraft dynamics
S = Sensor (rate gyro)

For manual steering system, sensor is
not needed and controller only has an
amplification function, like an
amplifier, for the input signal.


Simple block diagram of the automatic
motor speed control system

Cm
Sm
Am
Input Output
MD

Cm = Motor speed controller
Am = Signal amplifier
MD = Motor dynamics
Sm = Speed sensor

The control system simulation using
MATLAB and Simulink has not done
yet and is still in progress.


VII. References
[1] Ogata, Katsuhiko. 1997. Modern
Control Engineering.New Jersey:
Prentice Hall International, Inc
[2] Franklin, Gene F, J David Powell,
Abbas Emami.1994.Feedback
Control of Dynamic System.USA:
Wesley Publishing Company
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[3] McLean, Donald.1990.Automatic
Flight Control System.UK:
Prentice Hall International, Inc
[4] Boldean, Ion and SA Nasar. 1999.
Electric Drives. Florida: CRC
Press
[5] Friedland, Bernard. 1987. Control
System Design an Introduction to
State Space Methods. Singapore:
McGraw-Hill Book Co.