Virtual Flight Test Environment Personal Data

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This page summarizes the most important questions about the Virtual Flight Test Environment. The list is constantly updated.

Q:	Can I test the VFTE for free?
A:	Yes you can. Until January 31, 2021, you can register and test all available functions free of cost. In January, we will set all registered accounts to the FREE option, which gives you limited access to the VFTE.

Q:	How is the Virtual Flight Test Environment different from other flight simulations?
A:	The AlphaLink VFTE is one of the few simulations that allows you to fly fixed-wing drone. On top, it allows you to modify control parameters and test different control laws. All flight tests will be fully monitored and you can download the flight test data afterwards. In the ENTERPRISE version, even customized vehicles or customized control structures can be integrated.

Q:	Why can I not control the aircraft properly in the lesson 1 and later?
A:	Make sure to tune the control paramaters accordingly. The initial values are set to zero from lesson 1 on, so your controller does not work well with default settings. Remember, however, that you can always choose to switch off the controller in all lessons.

How do I get the right control parameters?

The VFTE is designed as a learning tool to study applied flight mechanics and flight control. You can tune the parameters on your own using the provided state-space system. Then, you can fly and evaluate the flight data to iterate towards the optimum values. In the PLUS option, you can directly access the optimized control parameters. In the PREMIUM option, we even offer a dedicated online course, where we teach you everything you need to know about correctly tuning the control parameters.

Why are certain log data always zero?

The VFTE includes the digital twin of our AlphaLink Flying Lab. In this hardware system, the flight controller can be modified and the log data 1-20 are used for customized data recording. If you perform a physical flight test with the Flying Lab, you will find a data recording template that is identical to that of the VFTE. Since in the digital version, some log data are not customized, all corresponding reported values are zero.