Integrated and multi-objective flight performance enhancement for a turbojet-powered unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract In this research article, integrated and multi-objective flight performance enhancement for a turbojet powered unmanned aerial vehicle (TJP-UAV) is considered. For this purpose, its autonomous flight control system (AFCS) and its (fuel mass/total mass) ratio are redesigned in order to enhance its trajectory tracking performance of the flight controller and also its general flight performance (i.e. maximum range, maximum endurance, and ceiling altitude). A TJP-UAV is manufactured in Erciyes University and Iskenderun Technical University drone laboratories and called as ERU-ISTE-TJP-UAV in this research article. Its AFCS parameters (i.e. gains of the relevant PID controllers) and its (fuel mass/total mass) ratio are stochastically revised in an integrated and multi-objective way for maximization of both of trajectory tracking performance of the flight controller and general flight performance by using a certain stochastic optimization tool. The optimized parameters are then used to create a simulation environment of autonomously flying TJP-UAV. A novel framework for application of integrated and multi-objective redesign concept in order to determine optimum values of AFCS parameters and fuel mass of a TJP-UAV is developed in this article. Another considerable contribution of this research article is implementation of the c-SPSA optimization for previously mentioned aim. These chief contributions result in much less energy consumption and satisfy green environmental demands. Additionally, 29.44% improvement in total cost index, 36.96% improvement in autonomous flight cost index and 24.78% improvement in general flight cost index are obtained for this optimized TJP-UAV compared to the default control and propulsion system design.