Institute
The Institute for Flight System Dynamics is an academic and research facility at RWTH Aachen University. The focus of research activities lies in flight dynamics systems development and assessment of automated unmanned aircraft systems, including their flight control systems. Since the beginning of the 1970s, originally operated under the umbrella of free flight experiments, numerous sovereign national, European, and industrial R&D project relevant topics were researched and competencies developed. In general, unconventional aircraft configurations lie at the forefront of interest. The spectrum of assigned tasks ranges from the identification of flight mechanics parameters through experiments with original aircraft and scaled windtunnel or free-flight models, to the development of software models and simulation of flight dynamics and systems in consideration of pilots and operators, as well as the optimisation of flight control systems, flight track control systems, mission controls, and automation.
For experimental research the institute operates a low speed windtunnel, a research oriented flight simulator and a flight operations training system. In addition a large contingent of sensor and test instruments for unmanned and manned flight experiments as well as a diverse range of software tools and a mobile measurement and ground control station is available. Aside from a comprehensive suite of electronic data processing equipment, the institute also has a mechanical workshop, an electrical and electronics laboratory, and a free-flight laboratory, so that windtunnel models and unmanned aircraft prototypes can be designed, manufactured, and integrated.