This paper is a continuation of research into the possibility of using fuzzy logic to assess the reliability of a selected airborne system. The research objectives include an analysis of statistical data, a reliability analysis in the classical approach, a reliability analysis in the fuzzy set theory approach, and a comparison of the obtained results. The system selected for the investigation was the aircraft gun system. In the first step, after analysing the statistical (operational) data, reliability was assessed using a classical probabilistic model in which, on the basis of the Weibull distribution fitted to the operational data, the basic reliability characteristics were determined, including the reliability function for the selected aircraft system. The second reliability analysis, in a fuzzy set theory approach, was conducted using a Mamdani Type Fuzzy Logic Controller developed in the Matlab software with the Fuzzy Logic Toolbox package. The controller was designed on the basis of expert knowledge obtained by a survey. Based on the input signals in the form of equipment operation time (number of flying hours), number of shots performed (shots), and the state of equipment corrosion (corrosion), the controller determines the reliability of air armament. The final step was to compare the results obtained from two methods: classical probabilistic model and fuzzy logic. The authors have proved that the reliability model using fuzzy logic can be used to assess the reliability of aircraft airborne systems.

A micro air vehicle (MAV) is a class of miniature unmanned aerial vehicles that has a size restriction and may be autonomous. Fixed-wing MAVs are very attractive for outdoor surveillance missions since they generally offer better payload and endurance capabilities than rotorcraft or flapping-wing vehicles of equal size. This research paper describes the methodology applying indicial function theory and artificial neural networks for identification of aerodynamic derivatives for fixed-wing MAV. The formulation herein proposed extends well- known aerodynamic theories, which are limited to thin aerofoils in incompressible flow, to strake wing planforms. Using results from dynamic water tunnel tests and indicial functions approach allowed to identify MAV aerodynamic derivatives. The experiments were conducted in a water tunnel in the course of dynamic tests of periodic oscillatory motion. The tests program range was set at high angles of attack and a wide scope of reduced frequencies of angular movements. Due to a built-in propeller, the model’s structure test program was repeated for a turned-on propelled drive system. As a result of these studies, unsteady aerodynamics characteristics and aerodynamic derivatives of the micro-aircraft were identified as functions of state parameters. At the Warsaw University of Technology and the Air Force Institute of Technology, a “Bee” fixed wings micro aerial vehicle with an innovative strake-wing outline and a propeller placed in the wing gap was worked. This article is devoted to the problems of identification of aerodynamic derivatives of this micro-aircraft. The result of this research was the identification of the aerodynamic derivatives of the fixed wing MAV “Bee” as non-linear functions of the angle of attack, and reduced frequency. The identification was carried out using the indicial function approach.

Aircraft maintenance is a complex, multifaceted process that greatly benefits from IT systems designed to improve supervision, record keeping, and task management. This study focuses on the role of a dedicated mobile application, integrated into the broader IT Aircraft Maintenance Support System, which supports maintenance operations for the M-346 BIELIK training aircraft. Aircraft maintenance is a highly intricate and multifaceted process that significantly benefits from advanced IT systems designed to enhance supervision, streamline record keeping, and optimize task management. This study explores the pivotal role of a dedicated mobile application integrated into the broader IT Aircraft Maintenance Support System, specifically tailored to support the maintenance operations of the M-346 BIELIK training aircraft. By focusing on the analysis of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs), the research highlights how the application contributes to maintenance reliability and operational efficiency, with sustainability considerations in mind. The ITS-based approach assesses maintenance scheduling, tracking, and resource optimization, thereby enhancing the reliability of aircraft operations while reducing unnecessary resource consumption. This alignment with sustainable practices not only improves reliability characteristics and exploitation rates but also positively impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of aviation training. By accurately estimating the time requirements of specific maintenance tasks during periodic inspections, the application aids in identifying and addressing organizational bottlenecks, ultimately supporting both operational sustainability and improved task reliability across maintenance activities.

Most aircraft launchers exhibit a rapid acceleration of the launching aircraft, often exceeding ten times the acceleration due to gravity. However, only magnetic launchers offer flexible control over the propulsion force of the launcher cart, enabling precise control over the aircraft’s acceleration and speed during its movement on the launcher. Consequently, extensive research is being conducted on magnetic launchers to ensure the repeatability of launch parameters, protect against aircraft overloads, and ensure operator safety. This article describes the process of modeling and analyzing the dynamical properties of a launch cart of an innovative prototype launcher, which employs a passive magnetic suspension with high-temperature superconductors, developed under the GABRIEL project. The developed mathematical model of the magnetic catapult cart was employed to conduct numerical studies of the longitudinal and lateral movement of the cart, as well as the configuration of the UAV–cart system during UAV takeoff under variable atmospheric conditions. An essential aspect of the research involved experimentally determining the magnetic levitation force generated by the superconductors as a function of the gap. The results obtained demonstrate that the analyzed catapult design enables safe UAV takeoff. External factors and potential vibrations resulting from uneven mass distribution in the UAV–cart system are effectively balanced by the magnetic forces arising from the Meissner effect and the flux pinning phenomenon. The primary advantage of the magnetic levitation catapult, in comparison to commercial catapults, lies in its ability to provide a reduced and consistent acceleration throughout the entire takeoff process.

Non-linear phenomena are particularly important in -flight dynamics of micro-class unmanned aerial vehicles. Susceptibility to atmospheric turbulence and high manoeuvrability of such aircraft under critical flight conditions cover non-linear aerodynamics and inertia coupling. The theory of dynamical systems provides methodology for studying systems of non-linear ordinary differential equations. The bifurcation theory forms part of this theory and deals with stability changes leading to qualitatively different system responses. These changes are called bifurcations. There is a number of papers, the authors of which applied the bifurcation theory for analysing aircraft flight dynamics. This article analyses the dynamics of critical micro aerial vehicle flight regimes. The flight dynamics under such conditions is highly non-linear, therefore the bifurcation theory can be applied in the course of the analysis. The application of the theory of dynamical systems enabled predicting the nature of micro aerial vehicle motion instability caused by bifurcations and analysing the post-bifurcation microdrone motion. This article presents the application of bifurcation analysis, complemented with time-domain simulations, to understand the open-loop dynamics of strake-wing micro aerial vehicle model by identifying the attractors of the dynamic system that manages upset behaviour. A number of factors have been identified to cause potential critical states, including non-oscillating spirals and oscillatory spins. The analysis shows that these spirals and spins are connected in a one-parameter space and that due to improper operation of the autopilot on the spiral, it is possible to enter the oscillatory spin.

The paper presents an analysis of false triggers of fire protection systems installed on aircraft. They not only cause task interruption but also have a direct impact on flight safety, forcing the crew to land in a risky area. Simulation models of electronic actuators were developed to determine the conditions under which false alarms occur. Testing of the simulation models was carried out in the computational package Matlab-Simulink and Circum-Maker for different electrical disturbance generation conditions. The simulation of overvoltage, voltage drops and voltage decays in the on-board electrical network supplying the fire protection system, occurring during the start-up of aircraft engines and during the switching on and off of on-board high-power devices, was studied. The conducted studies have practical applications since the simulation results are an important element for planning experimental tests of the SSP-FK-BI executive blocks under electrical disturbance conditions. Based on the simulation and experimental studies, the conditions causing false tripping of the fire protection system and the parameters for selected disturbance factors have been determined.