Multivariable control of helicopter systems using an interactive modeling, simulation, and visualization tool

Describes a software environment for simulating and visualizing high-performance helicopter systems. Different simulation and animation models may be selected by the user. Users are also able to alter model and controller parameters on the "fly"-thus allowing them to quickly examine different scenarios. Both two dimensional bitmaps and three-dimensional polygon representations are used for animation. Real-time plotting and graphical indicators are also employed to help users abstract-out key phenomena. The environment also accommodates data exchange with MATLAB. The interactive MoSART helicopter environment is shown to be a valuable tool for research and education. A variety of examples are presented to illustrate its utility.