The Spherical Rolling-Flying Vehicle: Dynamic Modeling and Control System Design

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Abstract This paper presents the dynamic modeling and control of a bi-modal, multirotor vehicle that is capable of omnidirectional terrestrial rolling and multirotor flight. It focuses on the theoretical development of a terrestrial dynamic model and control systems, with experimental validation. The vehicle under consideration may roll along the ground to conserve power and extend endurance but may also fly to provide high mobility and maneuverability when necessary. The vehicle uses a three-axis gimbal system that decouples the rotor orientation from the vehicle’s terrestrial rolling motion. A dynamic model of the vehicle’s terrestrial motion is derived from first principles. The dynamic model becomes the basis for a nonlinear trajectory tracking control system suited to the architecture of the vehicle. The vehicle is over-actuated while rolling, and the additional degrees of actuation can be used to accomplish auxiliary objectives, such as power optimization and gimbal lock avoidance. Experiments with a hardware vehicle demonstrate the efficacy of the trajectory tracking control system.