Distributed Flight Control and Propulsion Control Implementation Issues and Lessons Learned

This paper addresses the motivations for using a distributed control system architecture, technical challenges, typical functions which are off-loaded to remote terminals, sensor/effector interface issues, data bus selection, technology insertion issues, lessons learned, and objectives for future distributed control implementations. Typical design requirements, constraints, environmental conditions, and operational challenges will be described. Examples of various distributed control system implementations will be discussed, including both propulsion control and flight control examples.