Flight Data Analysis and Flight Simulation

Flight Simulation

Degraded Visual Environment Navigation Support Project (DVENS)


The DVENS is an approach to tackle the issues with helicopter hover, landings and takeoffs during brownout and whiteout conditions. This project aims to address the problems associated with helicopter operations in DVE. DVENS is a helicopter-embedded system comprised of a laser emitting sensor – or LiDAR –that constantly sweeps the ground below the aircraft. It is scanning for and identifying safe landing zones and ensuring safety in brown-out or white-out situations.

DVENS Project with Presagis and NRC

figure from F. X. Viertler (2017)

figure from Revista Aerea


Reconfigurable Ground Control Station (GCS)



The research goal for reconfigurable GCS Panels is to expand the capabilities of existing PRESAGIS software tools for the concept of reconfigurable UAV instrument panel by developing virtual UAV GCS Panels. Due to the reconfigurability of the GCS, the operator can add or remove any panels on the screen at any given time as well as decide where they are placed and their overall size.



Flight Data Analysis

Flightscape Insight with RAD Aura UAV


3D model maded in AC3D program


Flightscape Animation with Photorealistic Terrain

CAE Flightscape Insight is a FDR recovery software program that allows users to replicate given flight data. MIMS lab accomplished 1. Simple polygon model of the Ryerson Aero Design (RAD) team's 2014 Aura UAV, 2. Basic terrain generation with satellite images overlaid within Insight, and 3. Importation of flight data from the UAV into Insight for analysis.

Integration of Flightscape and Ryerson FBFS

Ryerson Fixed Based Flight Simulator (FBFS) has X-Plane as a generic flight simulation software. X-Plane was chosen because of it's versitility. It is an inexpensive software with much engineering potential. Data extraction is fairly easy compared to other simulation programs, and it works with SimAvio: the instrument panel software. Our project was to extract flight data from X-Plane and convert it to be used in the Flightscape software package with no interruptions




X-Plane has it's own function for exporting flight data onto the hard disk drive of the computer. The user can set the write rate and choose which data to be exported

The exported data is then converted into a CSV file using EXCEL. In this process, the parameter names are changed into those are standard in Flighscape software





A CFG data file is then generated. This is mandatory to import a CSV data into Flightscape software

The CAD of the FBFS




Currently, a conversion software is under development. This software consists of GUI for users to easily convert a flight data from X-Plane into Flightscape-ready data. The software will automatically convert the parameter names into standard names, as well as the unit of each parameters.


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