Articles | Volume 6, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/jsss-6-211-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/jsss-6-211-2017
Regular research article
 | 
12 May 2017
Regular research article |  | 12 May 2017

Measurement and analysis of certain flight parameters based on MEMS sensors

Jerzy Bakunowicz and Paweł Rzucidło

Abstract. Gyroscopes established one of the fundamental references for attitude and heading in aerospace applications. The information about angular velocities gives input not only for autopilot, but also damping devices, such as yaw or pitch dampers for example. The MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) gyroscopes are much less reliable than their laser or fibre-optic cousins. Nevertheless, the availability and low price of MEMS components make this a growing area of application in avionics for general aviation aeroplanes. This paper presents certain results of flight data analysis registered during the flight testing campaign of the new experimental low-power single-engine turbo-propeller utility aeroplane I-31T. The research was focused on identification of oscillation modes, distinctive for the new aeroplane, such as engine precession or shimmy. The data came from a three-axis MEMS gyroscope and accelerometer recorder, placed near to the centre of gravity. Wavelet transform, which was used for analysis, gave better precision in time domain than Fourier transform, especially for signals of low frequency.

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Short summary
In the presented paper, authors introduced examples of continuous wavelet analysis of load spectra recorded with MEMS gyroscopes during the flight testing. The analysis could be applied for aeroplane load analysis during the flight based on data from simple recorder unit. The other potential application of this method would be academic education. The courses of data analysis, handling qualities or flight testing seem to be still uncommon in aerospace engineering studies.