Integrated Data Evaluation and Analysis System (IDEAS)

Overview

SAIC's Integrated Data Evaluation and Analysis System (IDEAS) is a software package which reduces the time between flight test data collection and development of upgraded aerodynamic, propulsion, and control system models. While originally designed for flight test data analysis, IDEAS is useful for analysis of any data recorded from dynamic tests. This package provides a streamlined flow of flight test data through the archiving, calibration, data reduction, model estimation, and model validation processes. Other related SAIC products include the Simulator Evaluation System (SIMES) for simulator testing and validation.

Applications

IDEAS software integrates a wide array of engineering tools used for flight test data analysis into a coherent, simple-to-use package allowing significant reduction in the time required to perform data reduction, analysis, and model development. While originally designed for flight test data analysis, IDEAS is useful for analysis of any data recorded from dynamic tests. The recent addition of an expert system interface extends IDEAS into completely automated analyses and into the health-monitoring arena.

IDEAS provides a central data archive, allowing for seamless data and information transfer between various tools within IDEAS and to commercially-available external programs.

Features

IDEAS includes the following data analysis capabilities:

• Read flight data tapes, change to desired format, and partition as needed
• Compute and store relevant statistics for each segment of the test data
• Establish and maintain a database of available test data
• Check the data for missing and "wild" data points and correct or compensate if possible
• Check inertial data for kinematic consistency and apply specific corrections if needed
• Identify sensor calibration factors and apply if needed
• Estimate sensor models from measured data using data compatibility analysis
• Filter, smooth, differentiate, and reconstruct needed signals with robust filters
• Plot test data and modeling results

Other available features include:

• A generic non-linear equation-error parameter identification algorithm
• A generic non-linear output-error system identification algorithm
• A generic 6-DOF air vehicle model that can be tailored for various aircraft
• A comprehensive model initialization algorithm allowing initializing to accelerated flight conditions
• A tool to perform independent model validation
• An extensive library of mathematical functions that can be accessed by the user-developed algorithms

Benefits

IDEAS enables the coherent analysis of dynamic test data and simulations by the use of a single database tailored to storage of these data. Relieved of data translation, the data analysis engineer (e.g. a flight test engineer) can directly attack the problems at hand.

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