Print Email Facebook Twitter Model-based Flight Control for a VTOL Aircraft with Independently Tilting Rotors Title Model-based Flight Control for a VTOL Aircraft with Independently Tilting Rotors Author de Jong, Joost (TU Delft Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering; TU Delft Delft Center for Systems and Control) Contributor Keviczky, T. (mentor) de Visser, C.C. (graduation committee) Alonso Mora, J. (graduation committee) Degree granting institution Delft University of Technology Programme Mechanical Engineering | Systems and Control Date 2019-02-15 Abstract This thesis reports on the research and design of a real-time Time-Varying Model Predictive Control (TVMPC) scheme to stabilize a tilt-rotor aircraft with four independently tilting rotors. The aircraft design stems from a prototype system constructed by the drone technology start-up Avy.First, a motivation is presented for implementation of model-based flight control techniques. Consequently, TVMPC is introduced as a middle ground between Adaptive Model Predictive Control (MPC) and fully nonlinear MPC, capturing model variation over the control horizon while retaining the computational efficiency of quadratic optimization algorithms. In a simulation of a simple nonlinear system, TVMPC outperforms fixed-model and adaptive MPC using only a small set of extra models. Secondly, the tilt-rotor system model is developed. Models for rotor torque and thrust responses and stepper motor movement are introduced and calibrated using experiments, leading to a full nonlinear model of 21 states, 8 control inputs and 8 box constraints. Further envisioned experimental work and its preparations such as aerodynamic testing and tracked constrained flight are briefly mentioned. The implementation of TVMPC is tested in simulation. Five scenarios compare the effectiveness of time-varying control versus adaptive and fixed-model MPC, with TVMPC not outperforming fixed-model control in horizontal vehicle orientations, but improving on oscillatory behavior shown by adaptive control. TVMPC outperforms the other two controllers in a past 90 degree pitch scenario (partial backflip). In parallel, the setup of Robot Operating System (ROS) in conjunction with a Hardwarein-the-Loop (HIL) experiment is presented to test tilt-rotor control in real-time. In closed loop, the system was stabilized for limited degrees of freedom using a combination of PID controllers, validating the framework and providing more opportunities for research.It is concluded that TVMPC improves on the predictions of adaptive MPC, but is prone to oscillatory behavior. Only in highly nonlinear situations, fixed-model MPC is outperformed. For real-time, embedded results, more research still needs to be performed. Subject Flight Control SystemsModel Predictive ControlTime-varyingrotor tiltrotor tiltingROSLinuxModel basedvertical takeoff and landinghardware in the loophardware-in-the-loop testReal-timeGUIArduinoAdaptive control To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f1a9ad16-0088-422f-b6a0-9cf725590cdc Part of collection Student theses Document type master thesis Rights © 2019 Joost de Jong Files PDF MSc_Thesis_J.M._de_Jong.pdf 13.59 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:f1a9ad16-0088-422f-b6a0-9cf725590cdc/datastream/OBJ/view