PETER R.

WYKE

AN A D V m m D AUTOMATIC PLLOT
AAD ELECTRIC STEERNG SYSTEM
FOR MZLITARY SHPS
THE AUTHOR
is currently the Technical Director of S. G. Brown Ltd., a Hawker Siddeley
company. W y k e obtained a B.S. degree in physics at the University of London
and joined the Instrument Department at the Royal Aircraft Establishment
at Farnborough in 1945. He moved to the R.A.E. Supersonic Flight Research
Unit in 1946 where he became involved in valuable R&D and consequently
became the Oficer in Chsrge of the Scilly lsles Supersonic Station and, Test
Range. Between 1955 and 1962 W y k e was with A. V . Roe Ltd., a subsidimy
of the Hawker Siddeley Group, and for the greater part of that time was
Manager of the Research Department at Chertsey. In 1962 he took his present
position with S. G. Brown Ltd. He is actively engaged in extending the range
of navigational aids and ship steering control systems produced by the com-
pany.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Presented at the Second Ship Control Systems Sym-
posium, Naval Ship Research and Development Laboratory, Annapolis,
Maryland, November 4 , 5 , and 6,1969.

ABSTRACT Attention is paid to the formulation of the logic

The new transistorized Royal Naval automatic
pilot is described and its integration as part of a
steering system for ships is shown. The system has
many refinements designed to eliminate the need for
a multiplicity of manual controls previously re-
quired to optimize the system against changes in
weather and sea conditions. This is a higuy desir-
able feature in a warship which spends a high pro-
portion of its life in maneuvering.
Hand control of steering is by means of an air-
craft type steering bar fitted both on the Bridge and
in the Control Room. Provision is made to enable
small changes of course to be made, and maintained
by the autopilot, from hand held controls. This
feature is incorporated to facilitate replenishment
at sea operations.
control of automatic weather helm integration to
provide the optimum computation of this quantity
during course changes.
A certain amount of duplication of function and
of circuitry has been made to meet the military re-
quirements that arise from possible battle damage
in the various parts of the ship. All wires carrying
signals have been provided with an independent line
integrity circuit.
A significant departure from previous autopilot
practice is that of feeding an analogue rudder de-
mand signal to the steering compartment instead of
the normal switching demand signal. The whole
system is engineered to fit into the vematile console
system adopted by the Royal Navy.

Naval Engineers Journal, August 1970 71

ADVANCED AUTOMATIC PILOT WYKE

INTRODUCTION
time most ships in the Royal
U P TO THE PRESENT
Navy have used a manually operated hydrau-
lic telemotor system to control a steering engine
situated aft. The wheel has, in general, been situa-
ted below decks in a special compartment and orders
have been passed to it mainly in the form of helm
alterations by word of mouth. Autopilots, when
they have been fitted, have been of cumbersome
mechanical design and have, in fact, been used only
during passage (Fig. 1 ) .

Figure 2.-Typical V.C.S. Bridge Layout.

to fit in with the modular console system now in

general use for all new ships and in many refitted
vessels (Fig. 2). The specification also requires
that the autopilot system shall be suitable for fitting
to vessels from 1,000 to 10,000 tons without any
modification and to vessels outside this range when
some component changes are permitted.

SPECIFICATIONS OF REQUIREMENTS
The operational requirements that have been set
may be summarized as follows:
1 The auto to aim to keep courses to -tW up to
sea-state 5.
2 Course changes up to 3 5 9 O to be possible and
ship to turn in direction of demand.
3 Turning in the auto mode to be critically
damped.
4 Weather helm to be computed and applied auto-
matically and consideration be given to the re-
quirements to change this when turning.

Figure 1. Auto as fitted in G.M.D.s.

A new approach has now been made to the

problem and the future system utilizes an electric
follow-up control of the helm from both the Bridge
and the secondary steering position. In addition an
autopilot is provided to control the ship using the
same aft-end control as is used for hand steering.
Course changes may be set into the autopilot from
either position. Various extra facilities have been
provided to ensure the integrity of the system and
a warning of any breaks in the wiring is provided.
The autopilot has been designed so as to eliminate
the various controls normally required on previous
autopilots. The schematic of the system is shown
in Fig. 3.
The Royal Navy Specification requires that the Figure 3. Electric Steering Control SystemSchematic
Units that make up the system should be engineered Diagram.

72 Naval Engineers Journal. August I970


5 Automatic adjustment of autopilot parameters
with change of ship’s speed over range 4 to 35
knots.
6 Preset controls to be provided with sufficient
range for all ships in range 1,000 to 10,000 tons.
7 Rudder angle limit facilities in one degree steps.
8 Automatic course sinuation to be provided with
variable amplitude about a predetermined
course.
9 Manual control of rudder angle to be provided
at each control station.
10 Control handle to be spring-returned to center
or, at will, to a false centre (helm offset).
11 Control handle to have an alternative detent
mode with detents every 1”.
12 The course setting mechanism to be mechanized
to enable course changes to be by a stepper
motor operating in M o steps.
13 Off course errors, control circuit failures, log
failures and compass follow-up failures to be
indicated by signal lamps and a buzzer.
14 Indicators to be provided to show mode of
operation and location of control.
15 The entire system to be duplicated as far as
possible a t each station, each half of each SYS-
tem being associated with separate runs of
ship’s wiring.
16 System to be designed for maximum possible
reliability and integrity under fault and action
damage conditions.
17 All hgineering to comply with full Navy Speci-
fications for fighting ships.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
The system has been divided into a number of
units according to their location and function: -
The Bridge Group
1 The steering Unit houses the hand steering con-
trol function change switches, alarms, etc. The
unit measures 12” by 6” by 15” and weighs
26.5 lb. It is intended for mounting in a panel
inclined at 22% degrees to the vertical and to
be used by a seated operator. The hand control
moves 70 degrees for 35 degrees of rudder and
has two types of feel available either returning
to center by means of a damped spring arrange-
ment or ratcheting in one degree steps. The
mode m a y be selected by means of a small knob
located on the hand control. A mechanical ar-
rangement has been provided to enable off-set
movements to be carried out, the amount of
off-set controlled by a hand knob on the front
panel. Also located on this panel are some
push button controls for determining which
control center may steer the ship and to enable
the system to be switched into the automatic
pilot. The switch to automatic pilot is inhibited
under the following conditions: - on the steering engine to the other.
(a) when the course change unit is demand-
ing more than 5 degrees of course change,
ADVANCED AUTOMATIC PILOT
(b) when power has not been applied to the
autopilot.
Reversion to hand control from automatic is
achieved either by using the appropriate push
button or by moving the hand control to its
limit when reversion to hand operation occurs
and is retained until auto is again demanded.
Lamp displays are provided on this panel to
indicate the mode of operation and which con-
trol center has authority over the ship and
also to indicate failure of any of the main ship’s
wiring systems carrying helm demand signals.
Course Change Unit
This unit displays the ship’s present heading on
a north-up display and provides means for set-
ting the desired course. A mechanical memow
system is incorporated to enable c o m e changes
of up to 359 degrees to be remembered and
suitable signals applied to ensure that the ship
follows the direction of course change demand-
ed.
Unit size 6” x 6” x 15”, weight 12.25 lb.
Autopilot Unit
This unit houses the autopilot circuits, and rud-
der angle limits and a circuit for setting the
ship on to sinuating course about a predeterm-
ined mean course. The autopilot is normally
fitted with a speed input from the ship’s log,
failure of this is indicated and a manual control
provided for use in such a case.
Unit size 6”x 6” x 15”, weight 7.5 Ib.
Secondary Steering Position G r o u p
Identical Units to those provided on the Bridge
are used in the Secondary Steering position.
Steering Compartments Group
1 After Power Unit
This is an electremechanical device driven by
a d.c. motor which provides a linear movement
for controlling the pump on the ship’s main
Steering Engine.
2 After Power Unit Controller
This unit houses the circuit which forms, in
effect, a position servo taking helm demand
signals as inputs and providing suitable control
signals to the After Power Unit.
Auxiliaries
Various additional facilities are required, these
include:-
1 Power Units supplying the various power re-
quirements for the system, and the change
over facilities to pass control from one pump
2 Rudder Feedback Units to feed back the rudder
engine position and the rudder position.
Naval Engineers Journal. August 1970 73
 ADVANCED AUTOMATIC PILOT
3 Speed inputs to provide a suitable interface
from the ship's log to the autopilot.
4 Lighting Circuits. These are normally a part
of the Navy versatile console system.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
In or$ to enable both automatic and manual
control of the rudder to be achieved with the mini-
mum of switching and duplication of equipment, it
was decided to transmit signals around the ship in
the form of an analogue signal proportional to rud-
der angle demand and to transmit actual rudder
angle as a similar scaled signal. All that is then re-
quired is a common position servo associated with
the steering engine to deal with signals from all
control positions in the ship. The form of signal
selected was a two wire d.c. voltage scaled at plus
or minus 10 volts for full rudder movement. In
order to detect the integrity of these lines a 4004s
signal is imposed and detected by the general alarm
system. This system has the advantage then in case
of break or short circuit the rudder is centered.
The bridge end of the autopilot circuits are now
only concerned with generating helm demands and
the after-end only with the rate at which these
demands are satisfied. Such an arrangement has
meant that a multiplicity of autopilots and manual
steering positions can be dealt with on the same
lines with the minimum of switching.
F h r e 4. Autopilot Unit, Front View.
A great deal of attention has been paid to the
autopilot characteristics and extensive analogue
computer studies carried out to determine the opti-
mum characteristics to meet the various require-
ments of the specification. The general form of the
characteristic is shown in Fig. 11.
It has been shown that conventional autopilot
characteristics may be expressed in the following
form:
74 N a v a l Enqineerr Journal, August 1970
WYKE
= rudder demand
= heading error
U = ships speed
L = ships length
S = complex frequency in Laplace
transform
K = steady state gain (rudder quantity)
AL
-
U
= phase advance time constants
BL
U
CL
- = steering engine time lag.
U
Computer studies have shown that convenient
values for A and B to meet the required range of
ships are 1 and 0.1 respectively. C is chosen at 0.05
and K = 4. It is then possible to reduce the changes
needed to meet the changing ships characteristics to
a speed input change. All other settings may be
present, either from a knowledge of the ships length
or during trials.
Thus an autopilot may be achieved requiring no
manual adjustments while operating at sea.
In order to produce a tight control of course under
reasonable sea conditions it was decided to dispense
with the so called yaw gap, that is' the region over
which a ship's heading may change before the auto-
pilot and helm responds. A region of a few degrees
is provided over which the rudder is moved at a
rate proportional to the difference between actual
rudder angle and rudder angle demanded.
The rudder is thus effectively in continuous slow
movement under normal conditions. The networks
needed to achieve this are incorporated in the After
Power Unit Controller, that is, as part of the steer-
ing engine position servo.
The realization of the proposed autopilot involves
producing circuits to enable the break frequencies
to be moved together with ship's speeds and size.
The parameters that are a function of speed are ad-

justed either directly from an input taken from
the ship's log or from a manual control calibrated
in terms of ship's speed. The ship's size is preset
for the particular ship in which the equipment is
installed. The nature of the control function is
shown in Fig. 12.
The purpose of the weather helm integrator is to
provide automatic trim of the helm during normal
course-keeping. This is achieved by integrating
using a time constant of 40 seconds. During course
changes it is necessary to change the value of the
weather helm to one appropriate to the new course
and if one is to arrive on the new course without
overshoot or undershoot steps have to be taken
to cancel weather helm and recompute for the new
situation. It has been found that appropriate rules
are: -
1. During course changes not exceeding 10 de-
grees-no change.
2. Over 10 degrees the weather helm is can-
celled altogether and then recomputation
starts when the ship has come within 10
degrees of the course required.
Steering Engines
The studies associated with the autopilot develop-
ment has thrown into sharp focus the need for closer
co-operation between the ship designer, the steering
engine maker, and the autopilot manufacturer. The
only specification of performance normally used
for a steering engine is that which calls for the rud-
der to be moved from out to out in 28 seconds. Such
an operation is normally performed once only in the
life of a s h i p w h e n the classification inspector as-
sures himself that it can be done. Most course-
keeping is carried out with only a few degrees of
rudder and this may occur at any rate that the
steering engine maker cares to provide. Thus many
engines are quite unsuitable for automatic steering
and can only be used manually by the helmsman
making excessive initial demands and cancelling
these when the steering engine has been suitably
activated. It has been shown that the steering gear
lag needs to be in the order of L seconds, i.e. or 2
ioU
seconds for most ships, to achieve good automatic
steering. The design of many commonly available
steering engines cannot meet this for rudder de-
mands of less than 10 degrees.
This appears to be simply a case where system
design should be applied as in any other control
system one can think of, but has not been done
in the marine world.
SIMULATION STUDIES
Typical ships characteristics and the proposed
autopilot equations were set up on an analogue
computer and an investigation carried out to de-
termine the efficiency of the proposals.
ADVANCED AUTOMATIC PILOT
The test set in each case was to demand course
change of 5" to 30" at various speeds and record
the rudder movements and heading changes. "ypi-
cal results are shown in Figs. 5-8. It is seen that
there is a tendency to overshoot at lower speeds
n
a a
-2) -n
DISTANCE TRAVELLED Y (*nptRs)
20 n
5
a a
a 5 fa a 5 la
DISTANCE TRAVELLED )I (I.ngth*)
Figure 5. Responses to step demand of heading angle
( f u l l speed).
but that in general the required characteristics are
obtained.
As a check a further test was carried out in which
the lateral stability terms in the ships equations
were reversed and the same tests applied, The re-
sults are shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 10 is a test to show
that the reversal of this term does in fact make
the ship unstable.
TRIALS RESULTS
Two systems have been completed, one for en-
vironmental studies by the Admiralty Engineering
Laboratory and the other for ships trials. These
have now been carried out in two vessels H.M.S.
London and H.M.S. Exmouth. The results of longer
term service experience in H.M.S. Exmouth are
awaited.
The controlled ships' trials were carried out when
adjustments to the autopilot were still being made
hence comparisons are not truly valid. In general
it was demonstrated that the equipment could steer
both ships which differ in length by a ratio of 3 to 5.
Under sea-state conditions of about 3 or less the
design requirement of course-keeping to 0.5 degrees
was achieved, but under same directions of sea
and with greater sea-states the course-keeping
performance was in the order of ?4 to 1degree.
The performance of the course changing facilities
when the weather helm integrator was not in use
was quite satisfactory with no overshoots recorded.
Homer, small course changes with the integrator
switched on exhibited a tendency to overshoot up to
2". At the time of writing further development work
is in hand to eliminate this, preliminary theoretical
studies have shown this to be possible, actual trials
results are awaited.
Naval Engineers Journal. August 1970 75
 ADVANCED AUTOMATIC PILOT WYKE

@UALF WELD
1.730' m5.
20 90

0 0

-20 -0

DISTANCE TRAVELLED a ( k q t h r )
**
3.
i n
Elm
I 8
3'
0 0 5 10 * 2 4 # 8
DISTAIICE TRAVELLED ndlonmtlu)
0 2 4 a 0 2 4 a
DISTANCE TRAVELLED x (lengths) Figure 9. Responses to step demand of heading angle for
unstable ship.
Figure 6. Responses to step demand of heading angle
(half full speed).
@STABLE @UNSTA8LE
**
w
" 2
n * ; 20 20

0 0 z 10 10

-n -* 2
Z ' 0
0 5 m 15 a 5 10
4 0 2 4
DISTANCE TRAVELLED I (Iangth.)
DISlANCf TRAVLI.LED ~(lhnoths)

Figure 10. Uncontrolled ships response.

i
( D b
iJ-
10

$ 9 0 SHIP
0 1 4
DISTANCf TRAVfUfD I (*n(l(h*)

Figure 7. Responses to step demand of heading angle

(quarter full speed).

Y
n
4 0

-n
1 " ~ ' " ' ! " ' ' ~ " ! " " ~
I 4
DISTANCE TRAVELLED

1:
% n
m
s
; * 0
0 I 4 0 2 4
DISTANCE TRAV€LLCD x(hn#ths) Figure 11. General Form of Autopilot Characteristic.
Figure 8. Responses to step demand of heading angle
(one eighth full speed).
during trials. The general impression gained
during the trials, including preliminary
The conclusive comments on performance from trials on 21 November when the weather
the trials officer in his report on H.M.S. London was slightly rougher, was that the autopilot
trials were: - system steers a rather more accurate course
(1) Course-keeping: Long term than an experienced helmsman, uses con-
Good, with no perceptible mean deviation siderably less rudder angle most of the time
from set course. but moves the rudder rather more often.
(2) Course-keeping: Short-term There was a tendency to wander half a de-
Fairly good in the light seas experienced gree to either side of the mean course,

76 N a v a l Engineers Journal. August 1970

WYKE
LOG FREQUENCY LCG FREPUENCY
'SET PHASE ADVANCE RATIO' 'SET SPEED AND SHlPb SIZE'
LOG FREWENCY
'SET RUDDER OUANTITY'
Figure 12. Plots showing affect of Signal Unit Parameters.
making about twenty small course changes
per minute. This tendency codd be reduced
if friction in the A.P.U. and lost motion in
the rudder system linkages could be elim-
inated.
(3) Maneuvering Facility
Appeared to be good during later trials
(after adjustment of weather helm integra-
tion). One overshoot of three degrees (re-
gardless of ship speed) did not seem too
objectionable.
The environmental tests carried out by the Ad-
miralty Engineering Laboratories were generally
satisfactory, some minor failures were recoded dur-
ing vibration and shock tests. They were readily
remedies by simple design changes.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Such a system as has been described contains a
great deal of duplication and sophistication of
facilities. Royal Navy experience is showing that
some refinements may well be omitted on grounds
of economy and simplicity.
In addition many ships are too small to warrant
two control positions, in such cases one may be
ADVANCED AUTOMATIC PILOT
omitted without unit changes.
Some smaller navies who do not have full opera-
tional roles are content to accept much simplified
systems without duplication of function and almost
all the refinements such as the sinuation and auto-
matic log input. For these customers a simplified
system has been developed and is finding acceptance.
The automatic pilot described has been specific-
ally aimed at military rather than commercial use.
For auto steering purposes the two types of ship
may be distinguished by consideration of inertia
and speed, the military ship tends to be of constant
inertia but of wide speed range, whereas the com-
mercial vessel has substantially constant speed over
most of its operations but has enormous changes of
inertia under its varying load conditions. .A com-
mercial version is under development in which the
speed term is preset, but inertia terms are con-
trollable. In the case of ships like tankers and bulk
carriers a simple two position switch with laden
and ballast positions is sufficient.
In both the unsophisticated navy and commercial
versions direct acting control of the rudder engine
has been accepted. "his had necessitated the intro-
duction of a control to vary yaw gap and has
resulted in a lower standard of course-keeping.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The equipment described in this paper is a result
of development work carried out by S. G. Brown
Limited and much original thought and computer
studies from the Department of Control at the Uni-
versity of Bath under the direction of Professor
K. V. Diprose.
The equipment was engineered and produced
under Contract from the Ministry of Defense
(Navy) who formulated the Specification require-
ments. Permission from the Ministry of Defense
(Navy) to publish this paper is gratefully acknowl-
edged.
Naval Enqineerr Journal, August 1970 77