Landing Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Research Articles

Vision-Based Deep Reinforcement Learning of UAV-UGV Collaborative Landing Policy Using Automatic Curriculum

Collaborative autonomous landing of a quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) on a moving Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) presents challenges due to the need for accurate real-time tracking of the UGV and the adjustment for the landing policy. To address this challenge, we propose a progressive learning framework for generating an optimal landing policy based on vision without the need of communication between the UAV and the UGV. First, we propose the Landing Vision System (LVS) to offer rapid localization and pose estimation of the UGV. Then, we design an Automatic Curriculum Learning (ACL) approach to learn the landing tasks under different conditions of UGV motions and wind interference. Specifically, we introduce a neural network-based difficulty discriminator to schedule the landing tasks according to their levels of difficulty. Our method achieves a higher landing success rate and accuracy compared with the state-of-the-art TD3 reinforcement learning algorithm.

Control Design for Soft Transition for Landing Preparation of Light Compound-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Based on Incremental Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion

This paper proposes a soft switching mode for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) compound-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to achieve a smooth transition between modes. The proposed mode pre-compensates the lift loss with the rotary wing during the deceleration stage before UAV landing. The control law adopted in this paper consists of implicit nonlinear dynamic inversion (NDI) and incremental nonlinear dynamic inversion (INDI). The outer loop (attitude angle loop) control law is based on implicit NDI, while the inner loop (attitude angle rate loop) controller is based on INDI. An extended state observer (ESO) is employed to estimate the angular acceleration. This paper innovates by proposing a soft switching strategy that improves the robustness, safety, and smoothness of the transition for the compound-wing UAV, and applying advanced control law to mode transition design. For the future application of eVTOL aircraft in UAM scenarios, this paper evaluates the smoothness of transition and passenger comfort using normal overload as a physical quantity. The Monte Carlo (MC) simulation results demonstrate that the proposed mode can reduce the peak normal overload by about 89%.

Enhancing UAV Visual Landing Recognition with YOLO's Object Detection by Onboard Edge Computing.

A visual camera system combined with the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) onboard edge computer should deploy an efficient object detection ability, increase the frame per second rate of the object of interest, and the wide searching ability of the gimbal camera for finding the emergent landing platform and for future reconnaissance area missions. This paper proposes an approach to enhance the visual capabilities of this system by using the You Only Look Once (YOLO)-based object detection (OD) with Tensor RTTM acceleration technique, an automated visual tracking gimbal camera control system, and multithread programing for image transmission to the ground station. With lightweight edge computing (EC), the mean average precision (mAP) was satisfied and we achieved a higher frame per second (FPS) rate via YOLO accelerated with TensorRT for an onboard UAV. The OD compares four YOLO models to recognize objects of interest for landing spots at the home university first. Then, the trained dataset with YOLOv4-tiny was successfully applied to another field with a distance of more than 100 km. The system's capability to accurately recognize a different landing point in new and unknown environments is demonstrated successfully. The proposed approach substantially reduces the data transmission and processing time to ground stations with automated visual tracking gimbal control, and results in rapid OD and the feasibility of using NVIDIA JetsonTM Xavier NX by deploying YOLOs with more than 35 FPS for the UAV. The enhanced visual landing and future reconnaissance mission capabilities of real-time UAVs were demonstrated.

Switchable shape memory polymer bio-inspired adhesive and its application for unmanned aerial vehicle landing

Controlled and switchable adhesion is commonly observed in biological systems. In recent years, many scholars have focused on making switchable bio-inspired adhesives. However, making a bio-inspired adhesive with high adhesion performance and excellent dynamic switching properties is still a challenge. A Shape Memory Polymer Bio-inspired Adhesive (SMPBA) was successfully developed, well realizing high adhesion (about 337 kPa), relatively low preload (about 90 kPa), high adhesion-to-preload ratio (about 3.74), high switching ratio (about 6.74), and easy detachment, which are attributed to the controlled modulus and contact area by regulating temperature and the Shape Memory Effect (SME). Furthermore, SMPBA exhibits adhesion strength of 80–337 kPa on various surfaces (silicon, iron, and aluminum) with different roughness (Ra = 0.021–10.280) because of the conformal contact, reflecting outstanding surface adaptability. The finite element analysis verifies the bending ability under different temperatures, while the adhesion model analyzes the influence of preload on contact area and adhesion. Furthermore, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) landing device with SMPBA was designed and manufactured to achieve UAV landing on and detaching from various surfaces. This study provides a novel switchable bio-inspired adhesive and UAV landing method.

Fast fixed-time three-dimensional terminal guidance with non-concave trajectory constraint

Focusing on the non-concave trajectory constraint, a sliding-mode-based nonsingular feedback fast fixed-time three-dimensional terminal guidance of rotor unmanned aerial vehicle landing, planetary landing and spacecraft rendezvous and docking terminal phase with external disturbance is investigated in this paper. Firstly, a fixed-time observer based on real-time differentiator is developed to compensate for the external disturbance, whose estimation error can converge to zero after a time independent of the initial state. Then, a sliding surface ensuring fixed-time convergence is presented. This sliding surface can guarantee that the vehicle achieves a non-concave trajectory, which is better for avoiding collision and maintaining the visibility of the landing site or docking port. Next, the nonsingular guidance ensuring the fixed-time convergence of the sliding surface is proposed, which is continuous and chatter free. At last, three numerical simulations of Mars landing are performed to validate the effectiveness and correctness of the designed scheme.

Development of Multimode Flight Transition Strategy for Tilt-Rotor VTOL UAVs

The purpose of this paper is to establish a transition strategy for tilt-rotor vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) based on an optimal design method. Firstly, The flyable transition corridor was calculated based on both the UAV’s dynamic equations and its aerodynamic and dynamic characteristics. The dynamic equations of the UAV were organized into state equation forms. The initial and final value constraints of the control and state variables in the transition process were recorded, as were the constraints of the transition process. The transition strategy design problem was transformed into an optimal control problem with constraints, while the Gauss pseudospectral method (GPM) was employed to transform and solve the problem. In addition, performance indicators were designed based on the transition quality requirements for transition time, attitude stability, and control continuity. Sensitivity was analyzed according to different index terms with different dimensions and effects. Finally, the rationality of the transition strategy designed in this paper was verified according to different simulation scenarios.

Validation of the Flight Dynamics Engine of the X-Plane Simulator in Comparison with the Real Flight Data of the Quadrotor UAV Using CIFER

The vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is extensively employed in various sectors. To ensure adherence to design specifications and mission requirements, it is vital to verify flight control and system performance using an accurate dynamic model specific to UAV configuration. Traditionally, engineers follow a sequential approach in UAV design, which involves multiple design iterations comprising CAD drawings, material collection, fabrication, flight tests, system identification, modifications, dynamic model extraction, checking if the results meet requirements, and then repeating the process. However, as UAVs become larger, heavier, and more enduring to meet complex system demands, the costs and time associated with each design iteration of creating a new UAV escalate exponentially. The bare-airframe dynamics of the UAV are crucial for engineers to design a controller and validate handling quality and performance. This paper proposes a novel method to accurately predict the dynamic model of the bare airframe for quadrotor UAVs without physically constructing them in the real world. The core concept revolves around converting the quadrotor UAV design from CAD software into a UAV model within an X-Plane simulator. Leveraging the CIFER software’s two key features—frequency domain system identification and parametric model fitting—the unstable bare-airframe dynamics are extracted for both the UAV model in X-Plane and a real-world DJI 450 UAV with the same physical configuration. This paper provides essential parameters and guidance for constructing a 92% high-fidelity dynamic model of the given UAV configuration in X-Plane. The flight test results demonstrate excellent alignment with the simulation outcomes, instilling confidence in the effectiveness of the proposed method for designing and validating new UAVs. Moreover, this approach significantly reduces the time and cost associated with the traditional design process, which requires an actual build of the UAV and many flight tests to verify the performance.

Dynamic Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Arresting Hook Engaging Cable in Carried-Based UAV Landing Process

Carrier-based unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) require precise evaluation methods for their landing and arresting safety due to their high autonomy and demanding reliability requirements. In this paper, an efficient and accurate simulation method is presented for studying the arresting hook engaging arresting cable process. The finite element method and multibody dynamics (FEM-MBD) approach is employed. By establishing a rigid–flexible coupling model encompassing the UAV and arresting gear system, the simulation model for the engagement process is obtained. The model incorporates multiple coordinate systems to effectively capture the relative motion between the rigid and flexible components. The model considers the material properties, arresting gear system characteristics, and UAV state during engagement. Verification is conducted by comparing simulation results with experimental data from a referenced arresting hook rebound. Finally, simulations are performed under different touchdown points and roll angles of the UAV to analyze the stress distribution of the hook, center of gravity variations, and the tire touch and rollover cable response. The proposed rigid–flexible coupling arresting dynamics model in this paper enables the effective analysis of the dynamic behavior during the arresting hook engaging arresting cable process.

Design and Analysis of a Vertical Electric Ducted Fan for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Several types of multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely used in various industrial activities. UAVs with electric ducted fans (EDFs) have been developed to mitigate the risks associated with rotary blades, which are installed on the exterior structure of conventional UAVs and exposed to the ambient environment. Particularly, vertical EDFs have become a focus in the field of UAV design because they require less space for the flow channel compared with horizontal EDFs. In this study, a vertical EDF UAV model was developed. Structural and flow field analysis was performed in Ansys software to determine the optimal design configuration. The results confirmed that the designed model facilitated smooth air flow with favorable inlet and outlet velocity. The vehicle structure required minor adjustment to reduce the frequency of occurrence of vortices. Overall, this study made two research contributions. First, an EDF UAV model was developed to mitigate the risk of rotary blades being exposed to the ambient environment. Second, a vertical EDF system was proposed to reduce the flow channel space and maintain the outlet velocity, thereby improving the takeoff, landing, and thrust performance of UAVs.

Research on Direct Lift Carrier-Based Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Landing Control Based on Performance Index Intelligent Optimization/Dynamic Optimal Allocation

High-precision control problems for carrier-based UAVs are challenging due to the requirements for safety, high-performance operation and uncertain ocean environments. To address such problems, this paper proposes a direct lift landing control method that can ensure the safe operation of UAVs using intelligent optimization of control performance indicators and dynamic optimal allocation methods. The direct lift control (DLC) scheme is adopted to improve the operability of the control by introducing flap channels to achieve the fast correction of vertical disturbances. To improve the landing control performance, an intelligent optimization method for DLC gain is proposed, and a neural network relationship between parameter uncertainty and optimal DLC gain is established. In addition, a recursive least-squares identification method is used to estimate the uncertain parameters in real time, so that the established neural network can be used to generate the optimal DLC commands online, and the generated control commands can be assigned to multiple actuators of the carrier-based UAV through a dynamic optimal assignment algorithm. Finally, the superiority of the method is verified using simulation comparison.

NMPC-based UAV-USV cooperative tracking and landing

The study aims to solve the problem of real time tracking and precise landing of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during unmanned surface vehicle (USV) navigation. In this paper, a UAV-USV cooperative tracking and landing control strategy based on nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) is proposed. Firstly, the UAV-USV heterogeneous intelligent body collaborative system is constructed based on the mathematical model of UAV and USV; secondly, the tracking controller is designed based on NMPC algorithm to ensure that the UAV can track the USV in real time; finally, a UAV-USV cooperative landing control strategy is proposed to realize the heave motion of the USV to the peak vertex, thus, the UAV completes the precise landing with the minimum impact. As the simulation experimental results show, the UAV-USV cooperative tracking and landing control scheme proposed in this paper can provide effective solution against real time tracking and accurate landing of UAV during the navigation of USV.

A nonlinear model predictive control based control method to quadrotor landing on moving platform

AbstractTo address the problems that the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) is vulnerable to distance limitation and environmental interference when tracking and landing on a moving platform autonomously, the accuracy of position estimation relying only on visual odometry in the point‐featureless environment is insufficient, and the traditional linear path planning solvers and controllers cannot meet the fast and safe requirements under the non‐linear strong coupling characteristics of the cooperative landing system, an nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC)‐based multi‐sensor fusion method for autonomous landing of UAVs on motion platforms is proposed. The UAV combines the position information obtained by the RTK‐GPS and the image information obtained by the camera and uses the special identification codes placed in the landing area of the UAV to carry out cooperative planning and navigation while using UKF (Unscented Kalman Filter) to estimate the position of the moving platform and using the interference‐resistant NMPC algorithm to optimise the UAV tracking trajectory based on the precise positioning of the two platforms to achieve the autonomous landing control of the UAV. The simulation and practical experimental results show the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and the autonomous landing control method and provide an effective solution for the autonomous landing of quadrotors on arbitrarily moving platforms.

심층 신경망 기반 착륙 지점 인식 기법을 위한 가상 현실 데이터 수집 기술 개발

This paper presents a technology for collecting datasets using virtual reality for semantic image segmentation-based landing point recognition methods. The virtual reality scenario assumed that a landing point image was obtained from a vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a downward-facing camera. A semantic image segmentation technique utilizing a deep neural network of the U-Net structure was implemented. The deep neural network was then trained to recognize both the landing points and obstacles. During the deep neural network training phase, only the datasets collected using the automatic labeling technology in virtual reality were utilized to analyze whether it was feasible to recognize the landing points and obstacles in actual environmental images. The results of the analysis confirmed that the trained deep neural network exhibited meaningful performance using only the datasets collected from a virtual environment similar to the actual environment.

Automatic carrier landing for UAV based on integrated disturbance observer and fault-tolerant control

PurposeAccurate glide path tracking is vital to the automatic carrier landing task of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The purpose of this paper is to develop a reliable flight controller that can simultaneously deal with external disturbance, structure fault and actuator fault.Design/methodology/approachThe automatic carrier landing task is resolved into the glide path tracking problem and attitude tracking problem. The disturbance observer-based adaptive sliding mode control scheme is proposed for system stabilization, disturbance rejection and fault tolerance.FindingsBoth the Lyapunov method and exemplary simulations can prove that the disturbance estimation error and the attitude tracking error converge in finite time in the presence of external disturbances and various faults.Practical implicationsThe presented algorithm is testified by a UAV automatic carrier landing simulation, which shows the potential of practical usage.Originality/valueThe barrier function is introduced to adaptively update both the sliding mode observer gain and sliding mode controller gain, so that the sliding mode surface could converge to a predefined region without overestimation. The proposed flight controller ensures a secure carrier landing task.

Investigation on fin cooling for lithium-polymer batteries

PurposeLithium-polymer batteries have common usage in aviation industry especially unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Overheating is a serious problem in lithium-polymer batteries. Various cooling methods are performed to keep lithium-polymer batteries in the desired temperature range. The purpose of this paper is to examine pouch type lithium-polymer battery with plate fins by using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for UAV.Design/methodology/approachBattery models were produced with a 3D printer. The upper surfaces of fabricated battery models were covered with plate fins with different fin heights and fin thicknesses. Velocities were obtained with PIV and CFD. Temperature dissipations were acquired with numerical simulations.FindingsAt the end of the study, the second battery model gave the lowest temperature values among the battery models. Temperature values of the seventh battery model were the highest temperatures. Fin cooling reduced the maximum cell temperatures noticeably. Numerical simulations agreed with PIV measurements well.Practical implicationsThis paper takes into account two essential tools such as PIV and CFD, for fluid mechanics, which are significant in the aviation industry and engineering life.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper depends on investigation of both PIV and CFD for UAV and developing a cooling method that can be feasible for landing and take-off phases for UAV.

Autonomous battery-changing system for UAV’s lifelong flight

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) lifelong flight is essential to accomplish various tasks, e.g., aerial patrol, aerial rescue, etc. However, traditional UAVs have limited power to sustain their flight and need skilled operators manually control their charging process. Manufacturers and users are eagerly seeking a reliable autonomous battery-changing solution. To address this need, we propose and design an autonomous battery-changing system for UAVs using the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) and user-centered design (UCD) methods. For practical application, we employ UCD to thoroughly analyze user requirements, identify multiple pairs of technical contradictions, and solve these inconsistencies using TRIZ theory. Furthermore, we design an autonomous battery-changing hardware system that meets user requirements and realizes the battery change process after the automatic landing of UAVs. Finally, we conduct experiments to validate our system’s effectiveness. The experimental results show that our battery-changing system can implement the autonomous battery-changing task, and our system has high efficiency and robustness in the real environment.

A tilt-wing VTOL UAV configuration: Flight dynamics modelling and transition control simulation

AbstractThis paper aims to present a vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VTOL UAV) configuration and numerically simulate its flight transition from hover to cruise and from cruise to hover. It can tilt the canard and wing along with two attached propellers. Additionally, two fixed front propellers are pointing upwards. Multi-body equations of motion are derived for this concept of aircraft, which are used to compute the flight transition trajectory from hover to cruise configuration. Furthermore, a transition control algorithm based on gain scheduling is described, which stabilises the aircraft while it accelerates from hover to cruise, gradually tilting the wing along with its propellers, sequentially switching between equilibrium states, as the stability cost functions thresholds are reached. The transition control algorithm of the conceptual aircraft model is numerically simulated.

Fixed-Point Landing Method for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Using Multi-Sensor Pattern Detection

Conventional autonomous landing systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) mainly rely on global positioning systems (GPS) or a single visual sensor, which identifies specific markers and uses them to guide the UAV landing. However, such methods have low positioning accuracies and weak range recognition abilities, which limit their applicability. This report proposes a fixed-point landing method combining light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology with a vision camera; the developed approach can be used to locate the landing area and enable a completely autonomous landing, without being affected by distance, weather, or time. First, we establish the mathematical relationship between the color of the mark and the reflection intensity of the laser point cloud. According to this relationship, UAVs can confirm their position relative to the landing point starting from a greater distance without being disturbed by the environmental light intensity. Meanwhile, the method uses the camera to detect the corners of the landing target, even obtaining the relative position at a close distance. Finally, the LIDAR and camera data are combined to detect the corner points of the markers, determine the position of the UAV relative to the center of the landing target in real time, and guide the landing.

A Comprehensive Design and Experiment of a Biplane Quadrotor Tail-Sitter UAV

Tail-sitter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are promising vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV suitable for multi-missions but the road to the commercialization of tail-sitter UAVs is tortuous. This paper aims to provide a systematic design methodology and present the development process for a novel biplane quadrotor tail-sitter UAV platform named TW10 to accelerate commercialization of this type of UAV. All the design choices and trade-offs in aerodynamics, structure, avionics, and the control scheme are detailed. A simulation and real flight test results are demonstrated to prove the feasibility of our design methodology. TW10 can carry a 1 kg mission load to achieve more than 2.5 h of flight time. This work serves as a meaningful reference for the promotion of tail-sitter UAVs in practical industrial applications.

Aerodynamics of Landing Maneuvering of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Close Proximity to a Ground Vehicle

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Autonomous takeoff and landing maneuvers of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from/on a moving ground vehicle (GV) have been an area of active research for the past several years. For military missions requiring repeated flight operations of the UAV, precise landing ability is important for autonomous docking into a recharging station, since such stations are often mounted on a ground vehicle. The development of precise and efficient control algorithms for this autonomous maneuvering has two key challenges; one is related to flight aerodynamics and the other is related to a precise detection of the landing zone. The aerodynamic challenges include understanding the complex interaction of the flows over the UAV and GV, potential ground effects at the proximity of the landing surface, and the impact of the variations in the surrounding wind flow and ambient conditions. While a large body of work in this area can be found on the control aspect of the UAV landing and takeoff maneuvers, research on the aerodynamic aspects of such maneuvers is non-existent. This paper presents an in-depth computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based aerodynamic characterization of the transient flow fields associated with the landing of a hobby-model quadcopter (the UAV) on an idealized road vehicle (the GV), the 35-degree slant angle Ahmed body. Transient improved delayed detached eddy simulations (IDDES) are carried out using the commercial CFD code STAR-CCM+. Our study indicates that the pressure field is the first flow property that gets impacted by the proximity of the UAV to the GV.</div></div>