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Model-Based Helicopter UAV Control: Experimental Results

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Abstract

Small helicopter dynamics are coupled, nonlinear, and underactuated. Therefore, helicopter control poses a challenging problem which is of wide interest due to possible applications. Although helicopter UAV control is an applied research field, there are relatively few experimental results. Previously published experimental results for attitude control are extended to include position control for time-varying reference trajectories. The translational control is derived in both the navigation and body-fixed frames, and the resulting expressions are shown to be locally equivalent. Closed-loop stability is shown using a Lyapunov analysis and conditions for asymptotic stability on the gains are derived.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Nonlinear Controls Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, T6G 2V4

    Bryan Godbolt & Alan F. Lynch

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  1. Bryan Godbolt
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  2. Alan F. Lynch
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Correspondence to Alan F. Lynch.

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Godbolt, B., Lynch, A.F. Model-Based Helicopter UAV Control: Experimental Results. J Intell Robot Syst 73, 19–31 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-013-9898-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-013-9898-3

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