Takeoff Landing Research Articles

High-fidelity aero-acoustic evaluations of a heavy-lift eVTOL in hover

Electric Vertical Take-off Landing (eVTOL) vehicles can transform aviation, but the unconventional aircraft development currently requires an extensive knowledge base. This paper presents a high-fidelity aerodynamic and acoustic evaluation of a heavy-lift multi-rotor eVTOL design in hover. The design, known as Skybus, has an MTOW of 14,000 kg, and six tiltable rotors attached at the tip of three sets of tandem wings with flaps. High-fidelity scale-adaptive CFD simulations of the full-scale Skybus vehicle in hover, with three design variations, were conducted using the HMB3 framework. The aerodynamic performance and interactions were analysed in detail. The baseline airframe caused a blockage force of about 13% of the MTOW, and the compact hovering rotors induced a sinusoidal single-blade loading variation, blended with small local interactions. The near-field acoustics were then directly extracted from the high-fidelity CFD results, and far-field acoustic propagation was computed using the acoustic analogy, following reference acoustic measurements for eVTOLs proposed by EASA. Different aerodynamic interactions and propeller acoustic characteristics showed strong impacts on the vehicle acoustics. The EPNL metric was also computed and analysed assuming various hover duration, and restrictions on maximum EPNL and hover duration are recommended for future rotorcraft hover noise certification. These novel results provide valuable guidance for eVTOL acoustic design, infrastructure planning, and policy-making.

Design and Aerodynamic Analysis of Fixed-Wing Vertical Take-Off Landing (FW-VTOL) UAV

This study aims to produce a Fixed Wing-Vertical Takeoff Landing (FW-VTOL) design that has good aerodynamic characteristics on its wing and fuselage. The design process begins with determining the Design Requirement and Objective (DRO). According to DRO, the aircraft is designed to be able to operate at speeds of 14 m/s and an altitude of 120 m (cruise phase) above ground level. The Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) of the planned is estimated using previous research data. Based on calculations, for it to have a flight time of 30 minutes, the MTOW of the FW-VTOL is 5.2 kg. The fuselage and wing of the FW-VTOL design were carried out by referring to the MTOW of 5.2 kg. Three candidate airfoils were proposed, and their aerodynamic characteristics were determined using XFLR5 software. The aerodynamic characteristics of the three proposed fuselage candidates are also calculated. At an angle of attack of 30, the Eppler 66 airfoil produces the most lift coefficient and the lift-to-drag ratio of 0.8775 and 94.152, respectively. While the NACA 4412 and S9000 airfoils create lift coefficients of 0.7963 and 0.7963, respectively. From the calculation of aerodynamic characteristics, the first, second, and third fuselage candidates produce drag coefficient values of 0.1397, 0.1576, and 0.1368, respectively. The aerodynamic characteristics of the airfoil and fuselage are then input into the decision matrix table. As a result, the selected airfoil candidate is Eppler 66, while we choose the fuselage design is the third fuselage candidate.

ПОВЫШЕНИЕ ПРОПУСКНОЙ СПОСОБНОСТИ АЭРОДРОМА С ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕМ ИНТЕГРИРОВАННОГО МЕНЕДЖЕРА ПРИБЫТИЯ/ОТПРАВЛЕНИЯ ВОЗДУШНЫХ СУДОВ (AMAN/DMAN)

The article proposes a method for increasing the capacity of an aerodrome and reducing the average delay of arriving / departing aircraft by optimizing the queue of them, taking into account the specified minimum allowable time intervals between aircraft, depending on their weight categories of movement stages (take-off landing). An analysis of the effectiveness of this method was carried out, for the evaluation of which a stream of events (departures and arrivals) with a Poisson distribution was used. The dependences of the average delays of departures and arrivals on the flow intensity of departures and arrivals are estimated as well as the potential for increasing the aerodrome capacity by this method. The effectiveness of the departure control system was compared in terms of absolute priority for arriving aircraft and in terms of the equal priority for arriving and departing aircraft. It is shown that an integrated arrival/departure manager with the equal priority for departing and arriving aircraft is more efficient than with absolute priority for arriving aircraft.

Aerodynamic and bending analysis of low-speed airfoils at high reynold number

The growing demand for UAVs with short take-off landing, high payload capabilities, and better aerodynamic efficiencies has emerged studies to find an airfoil that can satisfy the current market needs. In this research, a computational analysis was carried to find out the most suitable airfoil design at a low Reynolds number based on aerodynamic as well as mechanical properties. In this research, an Aerodynamic and Mechanical comparison has been done among airfoils CH 10, EPPLER 420, EPPLER 421, EPPLER 423, GOE 448, FX 62-K-153, FX 63–137, S1210 (12 %), S1223, S1223 RTL, NREL’S S825, FX 74-CL5-140, FX 74-CL5-140 MOD based on computational simulation to find out most suitable airfoil for low-speed Fixed-Wing UAV. This research is carried out at Reynolds number 300,000 on a test specimen wing with a Wing-span of 200 cm and a Wing-chord of 30 cm using XFLR-5 (version 6.54), ANSYS-Fluent (Version 2021 R2), and SOLIDWORKS Simulation (Version 2022 R1). Aerodynamic comparison concluded S1223 as the most dominating airfoil based on Lift Force and CH 10 as the most dominating airfoil based on Lift-to-Drag ratio. On the other hand, wing bending analysis concluded EPPLER 420 as the most dominating airfoil with the least wing bending which is followed by CH 10 airfoil. This research concluded CH 10 as the most suitable airfoil for low-speed Fixed-Wing UAVs based on its balanced contribution aerodynamically and mechanically that will help Fixed-Wing UAVs to carry a heavy load at low speed as well as decrease manufacturing costs by reducing extra support structure that will be required for other airfoils.

Short Takeoff and Landing Strategy for Small-Scale Thrust-Vectoring Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing Vehicles

This work provides a feasible solution to the shipborne short landing problem for thrust-vectoring V/STOL vehicles. The short takeoff and shipborne rolling vertical landing strategy was designed in this work. First, the strategy design reference was established by flying performance and mission requirements, including the short takeoff and landing performance, deceleration performance, trajectory stability, velocity stability, and conversion corridor, using attainable equilibrium set methods based on the six dimensions of freedom model of the study object. Then, a piecewise short takeoff landing strategy was designed based on the references, together with a nonlinear dynamic inverse-based control designed frame for strategy execution. Finally, the hardware-in-loop Monte-Carlo simulation was implemented for the strategy feasibility verification. The proposed short takeoff and landing strategy satisfies the shipborne short takeoff and landing mission requirements. The short takeoff shortens the taxiing distance by 40% compared to a normal takeoff. With a 20% perturbance on all model parameters, the touchdown speed can be controlled to 14 ± 1 m/s, and the landing point position can be constrained inside a 5 m radius circle with almost zero lateral displacements.

Numerical study of drag force on the UAV tilt and fixed wing model during vertical take off landing

A hybrid vertical take-off landing (VTOL) UAV combines the concepts of fixed-wing and rotary-wing UAV aircraft in one platform while performing in both conventional and vertical take-off landings. This aircraft has a drawback of significant drag force generated due to fixed-wing. Therefore, a Tilt-Wing often utilized to overcome this obstacle whereby it could be adjusted to the vertical and horizontal directions. To enhance the understanding of generated drag force on both wing model, this study was performed by examine the drag characteristic of the VTOL UAV. The simulations were carried out in the wind speed range by 1.4 m/s, 4.17 m/s, and 6.94 m/s. Simulation results showed that the drag of the UAV Hybrid Tilt-Wing and Fixed-Wing increased at the speed of 1.4 m/s to 6.94 m/s while the highest drag value was 177.51 N on a Fixed-Wing UAV aircraft and 1.97 N on a Tilt-Wing UAV aircraft. The result concluded that Tilt-Wing UAV has less drag which was more efficient than fixed-wing.

Oil Facilities Surveillance Using an Autonomous Quadrotor

This work addresses using the autonomous quadrotor or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for surveillance of oil fields, Facilities and pipelines since that can be very costly and dangerous specially in dangerous zones. This topic is very important because of the money consuming to repair and protect these oil facilities. Quadrotors are very small Vertical take-off landing (VTOL) helicopter, cheap, easy to use and has many other fields of applications. Quadrotor’s dynamic model involves nonlinearity, uncertainties, and coupling which makes the Quadrotor has a very complex system. PID controllers are proposed for controlling the quadrotor altitude through different environments during different missions. To drive the quadrotor to follow the desired trajectory pure pursuit algorithm (PPA) will be use. The simulation results will be pretested using the visual simulator named Gazebo with the aid of ROS to connected with the MATLAB to show the movement of the quadrotor insides different environments.

URBAN COMMUTERS’ EXPECTATION LEVELS ON THE e-VTOL VERTICAL AIRPORT DESIGN IN KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

The world’s urban dwellers are rapidly growing by 60.3% over six decades (1960-2019) (The World Bank Group, 2020), and two third of the world’s population is projected to reside in the urban setting by 2050. The same issue occurred in Malaysia, where the shifting from 73% rural to 73% urban population is real (Mohd Hussain, N. H.; Byrd, H.; & Ahmad, N. A., 2017), and this phenomena contributed to the increasing number of population in big cities such as Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, it is expected that the existing challenging traffic congestion will worsen if a better traffic dissemination planning strategy is not developed. Hence, the development of an e-VTOL (electrical vertical take-off landing) vehicle is a possible strategy to ease the urban traffic congestion problem. Serious collaboration among the departments such as planning, engineering, architecture, aviation developers, policy makers, and the sponsors, is important to establish sustainable future urban mobility and connectivity. This study aims to obtain information on the needs and expectations of urban commuters on the development of a vertiport in the city of Kuala Lumpur. A series of surveys involving 157 commuters using public transportation within the city centre, and a case study analysis, were conducted to gain an understanding of the viability of building a vertiport in Kuala Lumpur. Initially, findings show that nearly 50% of the respondents totally agree with the proposed development idea, while approximately 13% are really against this future urban air mobility strategy.

Design and Implementation of Morphed Multi-Rotor Vehicles with Real-Time Obstacle Detection and Sensing System.

Multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles (MUAVs) are becoming more prominent for diverse real-world applications due to their inherent hovering ability, swift manoeuvring and vertical take-off landing capabilities. Nonetheless, to be entirely applicable for various obstacle prone environments, the conventional MUAVs may not be able to change their configuration depending on the available space and perform designated missions. It necessitates the morphing phenomenon of MUAVS, wherein it can alter their geometric structure autonomously. This article presents the development of a morphed MUAV based on a simple rotary actuation mechanism capable of driving each arm’s smoothly and satisfying the necessary reduction in workspace volume to navigate in the obstacle prone regions. The mathematical modelling for the folding mechanism was formulated, and corresponding kinematic analysis was performed to understand the synchronous motion characteristics of the arms during the folding of arms. Experiments were conducted by precisely actuating the servo motors based on the proximity ultrasonic sensor data to avoid the obstacle for achieving effective morphing of MUAV. The flight tests were conducted to estimate the endurance and attain a change in morphology of MUAV from “X-Configuration” to “H-Configuration” with the four arms actuated synchronously without time delay.

POSITION CONTROL OF VTOL SYSTEM USING ANFIS VIA HARDWARE IN THE LOOP

Electric motors have been widely applied in various equipment. One application is found in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). An electric motor speed control system that can balance the aircraft's position is one of the mandatory features that must be owned by the aircraft. The position balancer control also supports the Vertical Take-Off Landing (VTOL) system. This study's VTOL position control system uses Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) method with MATLAB Simulink and Arduino. ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inferences System) is used as a position control algorithm. The controller performance is compared with conventional PID and FLC (Fuzzy Logic Controller). The system is tested as an initial position variation and loading test. The experiment shows that HIL can help fast prototyping by faster changes in the controller algorithms and is easy to program. The result is varied in each experiment. In the ISE (Integral Square of Error) point of view, ANFIS is better than PID by 100 % and has a very small difference from FLC in the initial position test. ANFIS is better by 95.44% and 4.56% compared with PID and FLC in the loading test, respectively.

Aerodynamic Analysis of Hybrid Drone

Drones are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) or Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPV’s) whose application ranges from photography to defence. There are two major classifications of drone, one, a fixed wing; and another, a quadcopter. A hybrid drone is a kind of drone which has a mix of features of the two kinds of drone. It has quad-rotors for Vertical Take-Off Landing (VTOL), and a fixed wing for cruise. Aerodynamic analysis for a hybrid drone is done using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a tool. A virtual wind tunnel test is done by means of this analysis. It is done in order to examine the various technical edges of the hybrid drone over the rest of the types. Firstly, the main entity of the drone, the wing, of 3 different profiles(aero-foils), is analysed for better lift coefficient as it is the major contributor for the thrust during cruise (for 0 deg angle of attack). The velocity contours are viewed to interpret the aerodynamic advantage of each wing. Then the whole vehicle is analysed after inculcating the wing. The various aerodynamic parameters such as the lift force, lift coefficient, drag force and drag coefficient of the hybrid drone are determined from the analysis. A hybrid drone with optimum lift has been designed from the inference.

Surveillance FPV Drone with Obstacle Avoidance System

The unmanned air vehicle (UAV) is mostly used in inspection and surveillance operations recent. The UAV is also termed as vertical take-off landing (VTOL), since it is capable of vertical take-off and landing without need of a runway. The big tunnels, infrastructure and large bridges are inserted using UAV by photographic inspection. UAVs are also used for surveillance purposes by the military and by the security guards. Since this is a new technology of the last decade, deep research has to be done. UAVS have the cross structure arrangement to which the rotor blades are attached at the end points of cross beams. These rotors are driven by the DC brush motors and motors are powered by the lithium ion rechargeable battery. The working principle of quad- rotors is the same as the chopper by controlling the rpm of each rotor blade, due to which the gyroscopic torque will act and the vehicle will move in the desired direction. To hold the quad- rotor at a stationary position at some height constant rpm of all rotors has to be maintained. This signal is given by the controller from some distance, which is received by the, and then it processes the signal and drives the motor via the flight controller and drives the rotors. A quad- rotor is equipped with a high quality camera for photography and video shooting during surveillance. Since a quad rotor is manoeuvring in air, the wind may exert a drag force and take it along with it and the quad rotor may hit any obstacle or inspection objects. To avoid this, it is equipped with the ultrasonic sensors which is capable of sensing the obstacle and realize collision avoidance between wall or any object.

Outdoor & Indoor Quadrotor Mission

The last few years Quadrotor became an important topic, many researches have implemented and tested concerning that topic. Quadrotor also called an unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), it's highly used in many applications like security, civil applications, aid, rescue and a lot of other applications. It’s not a conventional helicopter because of small size, low cost and the ability of vertical and takeoff landing (VTOL). The models kept an eye on quadrotors were presented, the advancement of this new kind of air vehicle is hindered for a very long while because of different reasons, for example, mechanical multifaceted nature, enormous size and weight, and challenges in charge particularly. Just as of late a lot of interests and endeavors have been pulled in on it; a quadrotor has even become a progressively discretionary vehicle for useful application. Quadrotor can be used in variable, different , outdoor and indoor missions; these missions should be implemented with high value of accuracy and quality. In this work two scenarios suggested for different two missions. First mission the quadrotor will be used to reach different goals in the simulated city for different places during one flight using path following algorithm. The second mission will be an indoor arrival mission, during that mission quadrotor will avoid obstacles by using only Pure pursuit algorithm (PPA). To show the benefit of using the new strategy it will compare with a victor field histogram algorithm (VFH) which is used widely in robotics for avoiding obstacles, the comparison will be in terms of reaching time and distance of reaching the goal. The Gazebo Simulator (GS) is used to visualize the movement of the quadrotor. The gazebo has another preferred position it helps to show the motion development of the quadrotor without managing the mathematical model of the quadrotor. The Robotic Operating System (ROS) is used to transfer the data between the MATLAB Simulink program and the Gazebo Simulator. The diversion results show that, the proposed mission techniques win to drive the quarter on the perfect route similarly at the limit with regards to the quadrotor to go without hitting any obstacle in the perfect way.

Vertical Take Off Landing (VTOL) Untuk Drop Kits Pada Quadcopter

A structure due to natural disasters often occurs in Indonesia, and this is caused by the location of Indonesia in the path of earthquakes and volcanoes. Logistics delivery in the form of medicines and food has been hampered, and this is acknowledged by the Indonesian government, which experienced many obstacles when it had to reach an isolated location due to land transportation lines being cut off. So it was designed an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or drone that can deliver survival kits to some places that are isolated due to natural disasters autonomously. Flight orders will be made through the Mission Planner software, which is then sent to the drone using 433 MHz telemetries. Survival kits carried by drones will be dropped using a servo to a predetermined location. The work of Vertical Take-Off Landing (VTOL) for Drop Kits has successfully carried out a mission to deliver survival kits to 4 different locations in one flight. By using the 433 MHz Telemetry, the drone can travel a maximum distance of 120 meters in 5 minutes 10 seconds with a 9 Ah battery capacity.

Flying Car Transportation System: Advances, Techniques, and Challenges

Since the development of transport systems, humans have exploited ground-level, below-ground, and high-altitude spaces for transportation purposes. However, with the increasing burden of expanding populations and rapid urbanization in recent decades, public transportation systems and freight traffic are suffering huge pressure, plaguing local governments and straining economies. Engineers and researchers have started to re-examine, propose, and develop the underused near-ground spaces (NGS) for transportation purposes. For instance, flying cars, which are not a totally novel idea, aim at solving the traffic congestion problem and releasing the strains on existing city transport networks by utilizing unoccupied NGS. Flying cars differ from traditional grounded transportation systems that are entirely limited by their physical space, such as trains on tracks or automobiles on roads. Flying cars do not occupy or compete for high-altitude spaces used by air traffic for long-distance transfer. As there is limited specific literature on flying cars and flying car transportation systems (FCTS), this paper aims to describe the modern advances, techniques, and challenges of FCTS. We explore the inherent nature of NGS transportation and devise useful proposals to facilitate the construction and commercialization of FCTS. We begin with an introduction to the increasing need for NGS transportation and we address the advantages of using flying cars. Next, we present a brief overview of the history of the development of flying cars in terms of the historic timeline and technique development. Then, we discuss and compare the state of the art in the design of flying cars, including the take-off & landing (TOL) modes, pilot modes, operation modes, and power types, which are related to the adaptability, flexibility & comfort, stability & complexity, and environmental friendliness of flying cars, respectively. Additionally, since large-scale operations of flying cars can improve current transportation problems, we also introduce different facets of the various designs of FCTS, including path and trajectory planning, supporting facilities, and commercial designs. Finally, we discuss the challenges that might arise while developing and commercializing FCTS in terms of safety issues, commercial issues, and ethical issues.

Automatic take-off landing quadcopter control on dynamics platform

SAR (Search and Rescue) become an interesting topic discussed worldwide because of its urgency to save humans life. Recent natural disaster in Palu, Central Sulawesi Indonesia demonstrates the lack of mobility which can cause a problem for the SAR team reaching the victim within the isolated area. Uneasy job for the SAR team become more challenging in time response and in finding and saving disaster victims. Consider the fact, there is a need to develop more efficient and effective way to search and rescue the survivors. The using of Quadcopter can answer the problems. Unfortunately the Quadcopter still conventionally controlled by a remote and further it has to be on static ground whenever its take off or landing. This paper reports a Quadcopter fitted with dynamical autonomous take off and landing systems. Thus it can carry out the advantage from a tactical SAR vehicles or other moving platforms. Using object detection approach, The navigation system in an image-based control quadcopter or called visual servoing is the use of machine vision as a control of the closed loop position for movement. Images can be detected using YOLOv3 Real Time Object Detector, and tracks it by estimating the motion of objects in successive video frames. By using 3D reconstruction method the distance and position of the designated target and the quadcopter could be determined. Then the estimation of the relative position of the object is used as input for the control system on the quadcopter using PID controller. The controller commands the quadcopter to approach the target, while the image processing checks the relative position between the two. If the position satisfies the minimum landing parameter, then the controller commands a landing. While for take off we implement the controller to maintain its equilibrium and sufficient power to throttle.

Discrete-time static H∞ loop shaping control via LMIs

A new synthesis procedure is introduced for static H∞ loop shaping problem in discrete-time case. LMI conditions are derived to obtain a static output feedback controller that ensures the robust stability and performance of the closed-loop system. A numerical example illustrates the use of the proposed control method with application to a VTOL (“vertical take-off landing”) aircraft model.

The International Politics of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

There is a good reason why the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is so often described as the arms deal of the century. In a report published on the last day of 2010, the Pentagon estimated lifetime operating and sustainment costs for the US F-35 Aeet-then projected at 2,443 units, not counting the prototypes-at US$1.45 trillion.1 Cost analyses of this type are always much-debated: How many units will be sold in total? How does one define lifetime? How reliable will the system be once it enters service? What will be the nature of its deployment? And so on. Beyond dispute is that the F-35 constitutes one of the largest, if not the largest, weapons programs in modem history.The story of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) began in 1994, when the United States Congress decided to merge two separate Department of Defense fighter jet research projects. The idea was to produce a fifth generation fighter aircraft for the joint use of the US Air Force (USAF), Navy, and Marine Corps. Preliminary research contracts were divided mainly among McDonnell Douglas, Boeing, Northrop Gmmman, and Lockheed Martin, which subsequently formed teams that also involved other contractors, like Dassault (partnered with Boeing) and BAE (forming a threesome with McDonnell Douglas and Northrop Gmmman). The JSF program was purposely internationalized: a memorandum of understanding was signed by the US and British governments in December 1995, specifying a 90-10 split for co-funding the aircraft's demonstration phase, or, as it was officially known, the Weapons System Concept Demonstration (WSCD) phase.4 In November 1996 the Pentagon selected Lockheed Martin and Boeing as lead contractors; in October 2001 a long and fierce competition to carry out System Development and Demonstration (SDD) was won by the former. The Lockheed demonstrator X-35 turned into the F-35 Lightning II, which carried out its maiden flight in 2006; the two Boeing X-32 prototypes ended up in museums in Ohio and Maryland.The JSF was conceived from the beginning as a multi-role aircraft that would be capable of replacing four or five separate aircraft in use by the US military. To that end, the program gave birth to three different warplanes: the F-35A or the Conventional Take-Off Landing (CTOL) version, which is intended to replace the F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt; the F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL), replacing the AV-8B Harrier II; and the F-35C Carrier Version (CV), taking over from the F/A18 Hornet and possibly the Super Hornet. All three versions completed the critical design reviews and are now in the SDD phase. Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) aircraft are rolling out from Lockheed Martin's assembly plant in Forth Worth, Texas, and the final Production, Sustainment, and Follow-on Development (PSFD) phase appears to be on the horizon. The US Marine Corps have established an operational squadron of F-35S at their Yuma, Arizona airbase, while instructor pilot training on the initial F-35S set to roll off the assembly line is progressing at a USAF base in Florida.5Globalized industrial partnerships propelled the JSF from the outset, but the multinational collaborative project took shape gradually. Most US allies were not briefed on the JSF until the beginning of the SDD phase, and it is unclear how the US government-specifically the nascent JSF office-decided which governments to engage.4 Canada joined in 1997, turning the US-UK collaboration into a multinational one. At that point, the JSF specified the conditions for different levels or tiers of partnership. Each level was mainly determined by the size of the partner's contribution. Level 1 partners contribute approximately 10 percent to the development of the aircraft. The UK is the only Level 1 partner and has committed $2.2 billion to the program. Level 2 partners, such as Italy and the Netherlands, contribute approximately $1 billion. Level 3 partners-Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Turkey-contribute $ioo-$2oo million. …

무인 쿼드로터 로봇 횡 방향 제어를 위한 Fuzzy-PI 제어기 설계

Quadrotor UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) is a flying robotic platform which has drawn lots of attention in the recent years. The attraction comes from the fact that it is able to perform agile VTOL (Vertical Take-Off Landing) and hovering functions. In addition, the efficient modular structure composed of four electric rotors makes its design easier compared to other single-rotor type helicopters. In many cases, a quadrotor often utilizes vision systems in order to obtain altitude control and navigation solution in hostile environments where GPS receivers are not working or deniable. For carrying out their successful missions, it is essential for flight control systems to have fast and stable control responses of heading angle outputs. This paper presents a Fuzzy Logic based lateral PI controller to stabilize and control the quadrotor vehicle equipped with vision systems. The advantage of using the fuzzy based PI controller lies in the fact that it could acquire a desired output response of a heading angle even in presence of disturbances and uncertainties. The performance comparison of the newly proposed Fuzzy-PI controller and the conventional PI controller was carried out with various simulation results.

Tail-sitter UAV having one tilting rotor: Modeling, Control and Real-Time Experiments

In this paper we address the development of a single-rotor tail-sitter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), whose configuration provides structural benefits for flight stabilization. The mathematical model of the vertical take-off landing (VTOL) aircraft is obtained through the Newton-Euler approach. In order to stabilize the vehicle we employ a control algorithm based on separated saturation functions. To perform an on-board control, we have designed and manufactured a customized embedded system. The simulation and experimental results show the good performance of the aircraft in autonomous hover flight, even in the presence of external perturbations.