Introduction

• An autopilot is a system used to guide a vehicle without

assistance from a person. The function of the autopilot is
stabilization.

• Aircraft requires a continuous attention of a pilot.

• The constant attention led to serious fatigue for pilot.

• So that autopilot is designed to perform some of the tasks of the

pilot.
The beginning
• The first aircraft autopilot was developed by
Elmer Ambrose Sperry. Sr in 1992.

• Demonstrated by his son Lawrence Sperry in

1914.

• In 1930, the Royal Aircraft Establishment in the

United Kingdom developed an autopilot called
a pilots' assister that used a pneumatically-spun
gyroscope to move the flight controls.
THREE TYPES OF AUTOPILOT
• A single-axis autopilot manages the ailerons.
• A two-axis autopilot manages elevators and ailerons.
• A three-axis autopilot manages all three basic control systems
ailerons, elevators and rudder.
 Working
• The heart of modern automatic flight control systems is a computer.
• Computer gathering all the details required to control the plane, from
sensor located on the airplane surfaces.
• They collect data from other airplane systems and equipment also,
which includes gyroscopes , accelerometers, compasses, altitude
indicator and airspeed indicator.
• The autopilot system is controlled by the auto pilot Hydraulic units.
• The autopilot hydraulic unit is intended to transform the autopilot
computer electrical comments into a hydraulic and mechanical
commands. These commands operate the flight control linkage and
bring the aircraft attitude to the reference coordinates.
Let’s consider the example of a pilot who has activated a single-
axis autopilot

• The pilot sets a control mode to maintain the wings in a level

position.
• However, even in the smoothest air, a wing will eventually dip.
• Position sensors on the wing detect this deflection and send a
signal to the autopilot computer.
• The autopilot computer processes the input data and
determines that the wings are no longer level.
• The autopilot computer sends a signal to the servos that control
the aircraft’s ailerons. The signal is a very specific command
telling the servo to make a precise adjustment.
• Each servo has a small electric motor fitted with a slip clutch that,
through a bridle cable, grips the aileron cable. When the cable moves,
the control surfaces move accordingly.

• As the ailerons are adjusted based on the input data, the wing move
back toward level.

• The autopilot computer removes the command when the position sensor
on the wing detects that the wings are once again level.

• The servos cease to apply pressure on the aileron cables.

• A common problem is some kind of servo failure.

• A bad motor or a bad connection.

• A position sensors can also fail, resulting in a loss of input data to the
autopilot computer.

• Fortunately, autopilot for manned aircraft are designed as a failsafe- that

is, no failure in the automatic pilot can prevent effective employment of
manual override.

• To override the autopilot, a crew member simply has to disengage the

system, either by flipping a power switch or if that doesn’t work, by
pulling the autopilot circuit breaker.
 Autopilot control system

• An autopilot is an example of a control system.

• Control systems apply an action based on a measurement and
almost always have an impact on the value they are measuring.
• A classic example of a control system is the negative feedback
loop that controls the air conditioning device.
 Control system example

• It's summertime, and a homeowner sets his thermostat to a

desired room temperature -- say 78°F.
• The thermostat measures the air temperature and compares it
to the preset value.Over time, the hot air outside the house will
elevate the temperature inside the house.
• When the temperature inside exceeds 78°F, the thermostat
sends a signal to the air conditioning unit.The air conditioning
unit clicks on and cools the room.When the temperature in the
room returns to 78°F, another signal is sent to the air
conditioner, which shuts off.
 Control system of aileron

• The pilot sets a control mode to maintain the wings in a level position.
• However, even in the smoothest air, a wing will eventually dip.
• Gyroscopes (or other position sensors) on the wing detect this deflection and send a signal to
the autopilot computer.
• The autopilot computer processes the input data and determines that the wings are no longer
level.
• The autopilot computer sends a signal to the servos that control the aircraft's ailerons. The
signal is a very specific command telling the servo to make a precise adjustment.
• Each servo has a small electric motor fitted with a slip clutch
that, through a bridle cable, grips the aileron cable. When the
cable moves, the control surfaces move accordingly.
• As the ailerons are adjusted based on the input data, the wings
move back toward level.
• The autopilot computer removes the command when the
position sensor on the wing detects that the wings are once
again level.
• The servos cease to apply pressure on the aileron cables.
 Modern autopilot systems

• Many modern autopilots can receive data from a Global

Positioning System (GPS) receiver installed on the aircraft. A
GPS receiver can determine a plane's position in space by
calculating its distance from three or more satellites in the GPS
network. Armed with such positioning information, an autopilot
can do more than keep a plane straight and level -- it can
execute a flight plan.
• Example : New Cessna 182s and 206s are leaving the factory
with the Garmin G1000 integrated cockpit, which includes a
digital electronic autopilot combined with a flight director.
Aileron control system in block diagram and simulink
• Aileron actuator : the device that causes the process of movement of
aileron.
• flight dynamics : the science of air and space vehicle orientation and
control in three-dimensional, aircraft dynamics users for
determination of the position and velocity of the aircraft at some
orbiter the time.
• Gyro : Gyro is used to sense what airplane is doing, that means it is
used in an aircraft to inform the pilot of his hedding . The Gyro works
using a gyroscope
Algorithm block diagram of elevator
 Autopilot
block diagram
 Advantages

Autopilot system reduce the work strain of pilot.

• Can fly Flight aircraft for longer period without the pilot instruction.
• Autopilot also helps the pilots to prevent unnecessary repeated checking of the avionicS.
• Nowadays autopilot can make your own path from the place of takeoff to the
destination.
 Disadvantage

• The small wrong data from the sensor can lead to a great destruction.
• small programming error can cause the failure of the autopilot.