Unmanned aerial system’s Handling and Flying Qualities flight test training at International Test Pilots School

Joao O. Falcao, International Test Pilot School Ltd., 2410 Blair Boulevard, London, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

The use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for the most diverse missions has expanded in the past few decades into military operations and commercial applications. In pace with this cutting-edge aerospace technology, flight test training must be in constant evolution to develop approaches that enhance understanding of those systems and their test methods. Although several issues continue to slow the development of verification, validation, and certification methods for those vehicles, this paper focuses on discussing the approaches adopted at the International Test Pilots School's UAS syllabus to navigate through the lack of consensus, particularly regarding Handling and Flying Qualities methodologies. Lastly, it is demonstrated that taking into consideration differences in flight control systems, autonomous flight capabilities, and overall unmanned versus manned aircraft characteristics, classical test techniques and mission-oriented tasks can be tailored to the specificities of unmanned systems and successfully applied. Additionally, it is shown that those new tools from the unmanned vehicles’ syllabus can be integrated not only into the conventional manned courses but also into new emerging designs’ flight test training programs.