Abstract
This paper presents a control allocation method for enhancing the attitude following performance and the energy efficiency of a variable-pitch propeller (VPP) system on quadrotor-based unmanned aerial vehicles. The VPP system was modeled according to the blade element momentum (BEM) theory, and an actuator allocation method was developed with the aim of enhancing the attitude control and energy performance. A simulation environment was built to validate the VPP system by creating a thrust and moment database from the experiments. A four-motor variable-pitch quadrotor was built for verifying the proposed method. The control allocation method was firstly verified in a simulation environment, and was then implemented in a flight controller for indoor flight experiments. The simulation results show the proposed control allocation method greatly improves the yaw following performance. The experimental results demonstrate a difference in the energy consumption through various pitch angles, as well as a reduction in energy consumption, by applying this VPP system.
Highlights
With the emerging Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, the weight, volume, and price of microsensors and actuators are significantly reducing [1]
After checking that the calculated angle of attack (AOA) did not exceed the physical boundary of the variable-pitch propeller (VPP) system, the AOAs can be used for determining the rotation speed of the system by: r
The setpoints are shown in dashed lines, and thefeedback feedbacksignals signalsfrom fromthe theUAV
Summary
With the emerging Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology, the weight, volume, and price of microsensors and actuators are significantly reducing [1]. The large flight envelope that this type of UAV experiences constitutes a great challenge in the design of its propulsion system, as it requires the generation of precise thrust across a large range of airspeed Another common problem of quadrotor-based VTOL UAVs is their large wing area, which may encounter a significant crosswind and generate an enormous force on the fuselage of the UAV, making it difficult to maintain the vehicle’s position during a maneuver in the vertical stage [10]. To enhance the performance of small fixed-wing UAVs, the use of a VPP system has been considered To control their attitude with less deformation on the wings, morphing UAVs [24] were equipped with a VPP system acting as the propulsion system, and the cyclic pitch was used to generate control moments.
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