Time-domain model identification of a small-scale unmanned helicopter

Dynamic models are essential for flight control design of unmanned helicopters. This paper describes the process and results of the dynamic modeling of a small-scale helicopter through time-domain approach. The complete dynamic model structures were developed and validated for identification based on complete equations of motion. Then an extended matrix least square (EMLS) method is used for estimating the model parameter from frequency-sweep test data. The effectiveness of the method in modeling the helicopter dynamics is validated in terms of data matching. Time domain results of the identified models clearly show the potential of EMLS in solving such identification problems.