Multiprocessor software development for an unmanned research vehicle

The Control Systems Development Branch of the Air Force Flight Dynamic Laboratory has been utilizing unmanned research vehicles as low-cost flight testbeds for flight control concepts developed in-house. Recently, the limitations of the aircraft and control system used led to the decision to develop a new low-cost research vehicle and complementary multiprocessor avionics/control system architecture. Effective use of the testbed multiprocessor requires that the applications software of the system must be programmable by applications engineers, who may not be experienced in parallel programming and may not have detailed knowledge of the underlying architecture. The author presents the communications protocols and parallel software design methodology used to develop the applications function for the first phase prototype with this requirement in mind