Determining Airspeed Without a Pitot-Static System for Use in a General Aviation Flight Data Recorder Using an Ardu-Pilot

The research was to create the necessary algorithms for airspeed determination without the use of a pitot-static system or weather data. The motivation for this study is due to the large cost associated with integrating into aircraft systems and the uncertainty associated with meteorology. The primary piece of hardware used was an Ardu-Pilot. There were preliminary ground tests performed as well as several flight tests. The flight tests primary consisted of scenic flights and had no aerobatic maneuvers. The results showed 10% errors on a turbulent day and 5% errors on a low-turbulence day. It is possible that the difference in errors was due to turbulence but further investigation is required. The results show promise in steady flight but more work must be done to apply it to stall scenarios. The airspeed algorithm would be a good addition to a fuel burn estimation application located on an electronic flight bag.