Design and Implementation of a UAV Control System Using the Airbus A320 Side-Stick Controller
Hüseyin Gülhan, Ömer Kemerlioğlu, A. Turkmen, Sümeyra Tuna, Mehmet Konar · Journal of Aviation · 2025
Air transportation has become a rapidly expanding and widely preferred mode of international and intercontinental travel. In line with this growth, aircraft manufacturers continuously strive to enhance both flight safety and comfort for passengers as well as flight crews. One of the most significant examples of these efforts is the side-stick controller employed in Airbus aircraft, which plays a vital role in improving flight safety and operational efficiency. The side-stick is a fundamental control device that facilitates the pilot’s handling of the aircraft. Pilot inputs made in the cockpit are transmitted via the side-stick and used as reference signals for the actuation of the flight control surfaces. These signals are then processed by the flight control computers, which determine the corresponding movements of the control surfaces. In this way, cockpit commands are converted into electrical signals, enabling precise aircraft control through the flight control system.