Integrated Modeling of Rotorcraft Flight Dynamics, Motion Perception, and Motion Sickness

This article presents the implementation of an integrated model for rotorcraft flight dynamics, motion perception, and motion sickness. Merfeld’s multidimensional sensory conflict model (MSCM), along with its extension to visual–vestibular interaction, is employed to represent motion perception both with and without visual feedback. A recently developed model is then used to predict motion sickness severity based on the neural signal mismatch generated by the MSCM. These models are coupled with a generic multirotor/wing flight dynamics code, which is adapted to represent a multipurpose helicopter configuration representative of the Bo 105. The bare-airframe flight dynamics is validated against flight-test data in the frequency domain. Closed-loop simulations are used to demonstrate the model’s application to coordinated turns, the onset of spatial disorientation during a graveyard spiral, and motion sickness during a slalom maneuver. In addition, the approach is validated against motion sickness flight-test data from the German Aerospace Center (DLR). This modeling strategy supports the prediction of ride quality metrics and enables the integration of flight dynamics with human factors considerations.