Creating Autopilot for FS aircraft

[FlightLevel180 0]

Is there some documentation or a resource that goes into detail on how to create a seperate autopilot system (much like how PMDG, etc. does?)?

[WarpD 824]

Yep... it's called aeronautical college. Seriously.

[FlightLevel180 0]

Thanks. That's awesome. Seriously.

[n4gix 4,947]

Honestly, who would write such a tutorial? There are a relative handful of folks who've actually programmed a custom autopilot, all of whom are bound by confidentiality agreements with their employers... :( I once spent several months working on a way to implement a method to smoothly and gently transition from heading hold to course line intercept... :(However, a google search (or your favorite engine) will yield some rather esoteric treatises on how to implement PID controllers. Keeping in mind the very limited number of useful commands that FS allows, it is most assuredly not a trivial exercise.http://www.flightgear.org/Docs/XMLAutopilot/node2.htmlhttp://www.flightgear.org/Docs/XMLAutopilot/node4.htmlhttp://www.u-dynamics.com/autopilot/apdesign-datasheet.pdfhttp://www.duke.edu/~tkm8/Aircraft%20Autopilot%20Design.dochttp://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?...opilot_creation

[WarpD 824]

Thanks. That's awesome. Seriously.

As someone who's created a fully independant autopilot for FS... I speak with authority. All the math required to do it correctly is learned in aeronautical college. It's not freely available on the internet and not a single person who's done this (all are commercial addons) will be providing the information freely.It took years to develop. No way would I be giving that away for free to absolutely anyone.

[dragonflightdesign 98]

I've recently started down this path. For once, despite the amount of hard-won information I've given away in the past in the sd2gau series, I won't be giving any of this away. Bill and Ed are right - it's a complete nightmare personified.-Dai

[FlightLevel180 0]

Okay, thanks for the insight. I knew that there was a lot to it, however I thought that the basics may be covered in an SDK, etc. For the record, I did not expect someone from a commercial entity to give up trade secrets or code or anything that would violate their NDA, copyrights, etc. That's definately understandable.

[evaamo 549]

Honestly, who would write such a tutorial? There are a relative handful of folks who've actually programmed a custom autopilot, all of whom are bound by confidentiality agreements with their employers... :( I once spent several months working on a way to implement a method to smoothly and gently transition from heading hold to course line intercept... :(However, a google search (or your favorite engine) will yield some rather esoteric treatises on how to implement PID controllers. Keeping in mind the very limited number of useful commands that FS allows, it is most assuredly not a trivial exercise.http://www.flightgear.org/Docs/XMLAutopilot/node2.htmlhttp://www.flightgear.org/Docs/XMLAutopilot/node4.htmlhttp://www.u-dynamics.com/autopilot/apdesign-datasheet.pdfhttp://www.duke.edu/~tkm8/Aircraft%20Autopilot%20Design.dochttp://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?...opilot_creation

Hey Fr. Bill... do you happen to have a copy of the PDF in this link you mentioned? http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?...opilot_creationThanks for the help!-E

[n4gix 4,947]

Hey Fr. Bill... do you happen to have a copy of the PDF in this link you mentioned? http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?...opilot_creationThanks for the help!-E

Oh dear! If I do, I've not found it yet. I may have to remove that entry from the Wiki if Jose Olivera hasn't got it available any longer... :(You might try contacting Jose directly:jcboliveira (at) netcabo (dot) pt

[evaamo 549]

Oh dear! If I do, I've not found it yet. I may have to remove that entry from the Wiki if Jose Olivera hasn't got it available any longer... :(You might try contacting Jose directly:jcboliveira (at) netcabo (dot) pt

Thank you! I'll give that a try and let you know.cheers-E