Introduction
Control Engineering with Python
Symbols
| 🐍 | Code | 🔍 | Worked Example |
| 📈 | Graph | 🧩 | Exercise |
| 🏷️ | Definition | 💻 | Numerical Method |
| 💎 | Theorem | 🧮 | Analytical Method |
| 📝 | Remark | 🧠 | Theory |
| ℹ️ | Information | 🗝️ | Hint |
| ⚠️ | Warning | 🔓 | Solution |
🏷️ Control Theory
A field of Mathematics that deals with the
modelling,
analysis and
control.
of abstract dynamical systems.
🇺🇸 Control Theory \(\to\) 🇫🇷 Automatique.
🏷️ Dynamical Systems (Abstract)
Described by a set of time-dependent variables,
which are governed by mathematical equations,
that connects the system past, present and future.
🧭 Examples
Mechanical Systems
Photo by enginakyurt on Unsplash
Population Dynamics
Photo by Jeremy Cai on Unsplash
World Dynamics (Forrester)
Epidemiological Models
Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash
🏷️ Control Engineering
Apply Control Theory to design & build concrete dynamical systems with specified behaviors.
Overlaps with and complements:
🔌 Electrical Engineering
🔧 Mechanical Engineering
🖥️ Software Engineering
…
🧭 Applications
Robotics
Possessed Photography on Unsplash
🤖 or 🧑?
Consider:
💸 Cost analysis
🎨 Creative/complex work?
🦾 Strength, speed, precision
🏜️ Hostile work environment
Manufacturing
Eurofighter Typhoon
Photo by Ray Harrington on Unsplash
twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter
air superiority fighter / agile / dogfighter
⚠️ aerodynamically unstable in subsonic flight!
“The design of the Typhoon is such that without input to any control surfaces the aircraft will pitch up during flight extremely quickly.”
“Although this improves the agility of the aircraft it also requires a system to enable controlled flight to be maintained.”
“This is achieved through the Fly By Wire 🏷️ Flight Control System […].”
“With this system the pilot has no direct link to any of the aircraft’s control surfaces.”
“Instead, all movements of the throttle, stick or pedals are interpreted by the FCS and an appropriate control response taken.”
Learn More
Boeing 737 MAX
Photo by Justin Hu on Unsplash
Boeing 737 MAX
4th generation of Boeing 737.
Larger and more powerful engines.
\(\to\) ⛽ fuel consumption reduced by 14%
\(\to\) 💸 profit!
\(\to\) ⚠️ engines located further forward and higher
\(\to\) ⚠️ pitch-up tendency that needs to be controlled
\(\to\) 🏷️ Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS)
Fatal Crashes
✈️ Lion Air Flight 610 (2018, Indonesia)
“MCAS pushing the aircraft into a dive due to data from a faulty angle-of-attack sensor.”
✈️ Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 (2019, Ethiopia)
“Evidence suggests, that […] the aircraft was configured to dive, similar to Lion Air Flight 610.”
\(\to\) 🛑 global 737 MAX groundings.
Learn More
Rocket Booster Landing
🚀 SpaceX’s Starship
ADAS & Self-Driving Cars
SAE Automation Levels
🏷️ SAE : Society of Automobile Engineers
Level 0: 👨 No automation: warnings, alerts, etc.
Level 1: 👨/🤖 single-task assist (e.g. speed control)
Level 2: 👨/🤖 many-task assist \(\leftarrow\) Telsa Autopilot
Level 3: 🤖/👨 \(\leftarrow\) Mercedes Drive Pilot (2021)
Level 4: 🤖 \(\leftarrow\) Waymo (2022), Mercedes (2024 🔧)
Level 5: 🤖 fully self-driving \(\leftarrow\) 🚀 Not achieved yet
ADAS Level 3-5 system design is mostly Machine Learning (see for example the official Waymo’s blog)
ADAS Level 0-2 system design is mostly Control Engineering.
Level 1 ADAS
Single feature automation.
🏷️CAS: Collision avoidance systems
🏷️ CC: Cruise control