Sensitivity Analysis of a Certifiable Synthetic Sensor for Aerodynamic Angle Estimation

Nowadays, some alternative methods exist for the replacement of physical vanes (or probes) for aerodynamic angles (angle of attack and sideslip) with synthetic solutions. The results are promising and there is a growing interest for the industry in this particular solution. However, a lack of methods has been observed to estimate their performance and to compare them. The MIDAS project, funded in the Clean Sky 2 frame, will provide the aerospace community with an innovative modular digital air data system (ADS) based on synthetic sensors for aerodynamic angles. To meet the system requirement specifications given by the project leader, a method of uncertainty estimation must be implemented. This paper proposes a method of estimation of the overall uncertainty based on a consolidated metrological procedure. This method holds a certain degree of generality because it can be applied to different kinds of architecture of the synthetic sensor. In this paper, it has been applied to the preliminary design of the synthetic sensor of the MIDAS air data system and the results have been reported as example.