Quadrotor trajectories made smooth with simple control methods
Trajectory Generation and Control for Quadrotors
Robotics
Summary
Flying a drone smoothly from one spot to another is tricky because it needs to know where to go and how to move its parts properly. The authors looked at new ways to create these smooth flying paths using math that breaks down the drone's movements into easy-to-calculate parts. They also used a basic control system to help the drone follow these paths accurately in a computer simulation. The results show that the drone can move smoothly and predictably between points in space.
What this means in practice
- •For drone engineers: Generate smooth and feasible flight paths for quadrotors to improve navigation and stability in automated missions.
- •For robotics instructors: Use simple control techniques paired with trajectory generation to teach drone control and navigation concepts effectively.
Authors
Sandesh Thapa
Abstract
In this project, I explored controller design and trajectory generation for a quadrotor. Differential flatness was used for trajectory generation based on one of the references. A minimum snap trajectory is generated from the given algorithm based on waypoint navigation, and a simple proportional plus derivative (PD) controller is used to track the trajectories. Simulation results are presented which generate smooth trajectories for position and velocity of the quadrotor.