Track 1: Testing and validation of UAV in an indoor free-flight test facility

A laboratory solution has been developed to facilitate the testing and validation of aircraft. The presented methodology allows bringing aircraft systems in free flight, indoor, in a controlled test volume where various flight scenarios can be played, such as relative wind, natural wind, atmospheric turbulence, gusts, shear layers, and other harsh environmental conditions. From the aircraft’s perspective, the test flight is immersive as the airspeed and GPS signal are synchronized. Such a representative and repeatable test environment makes it possible to validate aircraft systems, and in particular UAVs, under the eyes of all sorts of sensors.

Guillaume Catry, Windshape