Aerospace systems are prime examples of modern cyber physical systems. The control of these systems is hierarchical, and requires distributed, optimal control of autonomous systems over wireless networks in an adversarial environment. Autonomous unmanned aircraft, in particular, pose significant challenges. Robust control of these aircraft is critical to achieve the autonomy, performance, and reliability desired by the users. The talk will discuss system level engineering challenges in the control of cyber physical systems and how robust control is key to their success, and will include examples of autonomous systems, a brief historical view of robust control and its importance and relationship to classical methods, new progress in robust control and its application to autonomous aircraft, and a summary of challenges and future needs.

 

Kevin A. Wise is a Senior Technical Fellow, Advanced Flight Controls, in the Boeing Phantom Works. He received his BS, MS, and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1980, 82, and 87, respectively. Since joining Boeing in 1982, he has developed vehicle management systems, flight control systems, and control system design tools and processes for advanced manned and unmanned aircraft and weapon system programs. Highlights include the Dominator UAS (in flight test), the Hydrogen-powered Phantom Eye High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAV (in flight test), production Laser-JDAM (uses adaptive control, in production), X-45A J-UCAS (1999-04), X-36 RESTORE (1996-99), Miniaturized Munitions Technology Demonstrator (1996-99), 4th Generation Ejection Seat (first ever supersonic ejection 1996), JDAM (in production), Army Short Range UAV (1990-92), and the HAVE SLICK missile (1986-91).

 

Dr. Wise currently leads the guidance, navigation, and control team in Boeing’s Vehicle Management System Capability Center within the Phantom Works division of Boeing. He is the VMS lead on the Phantom Eye HALE UAS, the chief architect on the QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target program, and the manager of Boeing's Battle Mgmt. Optimization Services (BMOS) IRAD. His research interests include intelligent autonomy, aircraft and missile dynamics and control, robust adaptive control, optimal control, and robustness theory. He has authored more than 70 technical articles, has published textbooks on robust and adaptive control theory, and has taught graduate level control theory since 1987 at Washington University in St. Louis, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and at the University of Missouri Science and Technology. He is an IEEE Fellow, and Fellow of the AIAA.