Instrumentation of remote controlled airship “Lotte” for in-flight measurements

The present paper presents the instrumentation of the remote controlled airship “Lotte” for in-flight measurements. The research program FOGL, using the remote controlled airship “Lotte” as an experimental platform, with the goal to get a more detailed understanding in basic questions concerning lighter-than-air technologies is introduced. In order to validate the results of the theoretical models, developed within the research program for modelling the areodynamics and the flight characteristics of the “Lotte”-configuration, in-flight measurements were carried out with the airship “Lotte”. The remote controlled airship itself is described by its characteristic features and its limitations regarding loading capacity and dependence on weather conditions. The installation of an on-board system for the acquisition of measured data as well as the instrumentation of the airship for the various tasks like measurement of the pressure distribution and flow visualisation in the tail region, identification of flight mechanical parameters and autonomous flight operation, is described. Extensive ground tests followed by the preparation of the airship for the flight tests accompanied by the organisation of the flight operation is shown. Flight operation preceded by various check procedures and carried out following strict guidelines is presented with attention to the actual flight test program concerning autonomous flight control.