In this letter, we prove that the dynamical model of a quadrotor subject to linear rotor drag effects is differentially flat in its position and heading. We use property compute feedforward control terms directly from reference trajectory be tracked. The obtained are then used cascaded, nonlinear feedback law enables accurate agile flight with quadrotors. Compared state-of-the-art methods, which treat as an unknown disturbance, our method reduces tracking error significantly. Finally,...

This article analyzes the evolution and current trends in aerial robotic manipulation, comprising helicopters, conventional underactuated multirotors, multidirectional thrust platforms equipped with a wide variety of manipulators capable physically interacting environment. It also covers cooperative manipulation interconnected actuated multibody designs. The review is completed developments teleoperation, perception, planning. Finally, new generation presented our vision future.

Mobility of a hexarotor UAV in its standard configuration is limited, since all the propeller force vectors are parallel and they achieve only 4-DoF actuation, similar, e.g., to quadrotors. As consequence, pose cannot track an arbitrary trajectory while center mass tracking position trajectory. In this paper, we consider different architecture where propellers tilted, without need any additional hardware. way, gains 6-DoF actuation which allows independently reach positions orientations free...

This article summarizes new aerial robotic manipulation technologies and methods-aerial manipulators with dual arms multidirectional thrusters-developed in the AEROARMS project for outdoor industrial inspection maintenance (I&M).

We present the design, motion planning, and control of an aerial manipulator for non-trivial physical interaction tasks, such as pushing while sliding on curved surfaces-a task which is motivated by increasing interest in autonomous non-destructive tests industrial plants. The proposed consists a multidirectional-thrust vehicle-to enhance capabilities-endowed with 2-DoFs lightweight arm-to enlarge its workspace. This combination makes it trulyredundant going beyond standard manipulators...

In this paper, a novel decentralized control strategy for bilaterally teleoperating heterogeneous groups of mobile robots from different domains (aerial, ground, marine, and underwater) is proposed. By using architecture, the group robots, which treated as slave side, made able to navigate in cluttered environment while avoiding obstacles, interrobot collisions, following human motion commands. Simultaneously, operator acting on master side provided with suitable force feedback informative...

Robustness and flexibility constitute the main advantages of multiple-robot systems with respect to single-robot ones as per recent literature. The use multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) combines these benefits agility pervasiveness platforms [1], [2]. degree autonomy multi-UAV system should be tuned according specificities situation under consideration. For regular missions, fully autonomous UAV are often appropriate, but, in general, semiautonomous groups UAVs, supervised or...

The subject of this work is the patrolling an environment with aid a team autonomous agents. We consider both design open-loop trajectories optimal properties, and distributed control laws converging to trajectories. As performance criteria, refresh time latency are considered, i.e., respectively, gap between any two visits same region, necessary inform every agent about event occurred in environment. associate graph environment, we study separately case chain, tree, cyclic graph. For chain...

We propose a novel semiautonomous haptic teleoperation control architecture for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), consisting of three layers: 1) UAV layer, where each is abstracted by, and controlled to follow the trajectory of, its own kinematic Cartesian virtual point (VP); 2) VP which modulates VP's motion according commands local artificial potentials (for VP-VP/VP-obstacle collision avoidance VP-VP connectivity preservation); 3) through single remote human user can command all...

The design of decentralized controllers coping with the typical constraints on inter-robot sensing/communication capabilities represents a promising direction in multi-robot research thanks to inherent scalability and fault tolerance these approaches. In cases, connectivity underlying interaction graph plays fundamental role: it necessary condition for allowing group or robots achieve common task by resorting only local information. goal this paper is present novel strategy able enforce...

We present FAST-Hex, a novel UAV concept which is able to smoothly change its configuration from underactuated fully actuated by using only one additional motor that tilts all propellers at the same time. FAST-Hex can adapt task hand finely tuning efficient (but underactuated) flight (typical of coplanar multi-rotor platforms) full-pose-tracking less efficient) flight, attainable non-coplanar multi-rotors. also introduce full-pose geometric controller for generic multi-rotors (not FAST-Hex)...

This paper presents the design, control, and experimental validation of a novel fully-actuated aerial robot for physically interactive tasks, named Tilt-Hex. We show how Tilt-Hex, tilted-propeller hexarotor is able to control full pose (position orientation independently) using geometric exert full-wrench (force torque with rigidly attached end-effector an admittance paradigm. An outer loop governs desired behavior inner based on ensures tracking. The interaction forces are estimated by...

This paper presents a novel paradigm for physical interactive tasks in aerial robotics allowing reliability to be increased and weight costs reduced compared with state-of-the-art approaches. By exploiting its tilted propeller actuation, the robot is able control full 6D pose (position orientation independently) exert full-wrench (force torque rigidly attached end-effector. Interaction achieved by means of an admittance scheme which outer loop governs desired behavior (i.e., interaction...

Consider a differential-drive mobile robot equipped with an on-board exteroceptive sensor that can estimate its own motion, e.g., range-finder. Calibration of this involves estimating six parameters: three for the odometry (radii and distance between wheels) pose respect to robot. After analyzing observability problem, paper describes method calibrating all parameters at same time, without need external sensors or devices, using only measurement wheel velocities data from sensor. The does...

In this paper we address the problem of controlling motion a group unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) bound to keep formation defined in terms only relative angles (i.e. bearing formation). This can naturally arise within context several multi-robot applications such as, e.g. exploration, coverage, and surveillance. First, introduce thoroughly analyze concept properties formations, provide class minimally linear sets bearings sufficient uniquely define formations. We then propose bearing-only...

This paper presents an adaptive trajectory tracking control strategy for quadrotor micro aerial vehicles (MAVs). The proposed approach, while maintaining the common assumption of orientation dynamics faster than translational one, removes absence external disturbances and geometric center coincident with Center Mass (CoM). In particular, law is made respect to presence forces moments (e.g., due wind) uncertainty parameters dynamic model, such as position CoM. A stability analysis presented...

A novel onboard relative localization method, based on ultraviolet light, used for real-time control of a leader-follower formation multirotor UAVs, is presented in this paper. new smart sensor, UVDAR, employed an innovative way, which does not require communication and extremely reliable real-world conditions. This sensing system exploits UV spectrum provides position yaw measurements independently environment conditions such as changing illumination the presence undesirable light sources...

This paper reviews the effect of multirotor aerial vehicle designs on their abilities in terms tasks and system properties. We propose a general taxonomy to characterize describe vehicles designs, which we apply exhaustively vast literature available. Thanks systematic characterization exhibit groups having same achievable In particular, organize review based number atomic actuation units discuss global properties arising from choice spatial distribution mechanical designs. Finally, provide...

Abstract This paper introduces for the first time design, modelling, and control of a novel morphing multi-rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that we call OmniMorph. The ability allows selection configuration optimizes energy consumption while ensuring needed maneuverability required task. most energy-efficient uni-directional thrust (UDT) can be used, e.g., during standard point-to-point displacements. Fully-actuated (FA) omnidirectional (OD) configurations instead used full pose tracking,...

We present a decentralized cooperative exploration strategy for team of mobile robots equipped with range finders. A roadmap the explored area, associate safe region, is built in form sensor-based random graph (SRG). This expanded by using randomized local planner that automatically realizes tradeoff between information gain and navigation cost. The nodes SRG represent view configurations have been visited at least one robot, are connected arcs paths. These paths actually traveled or added...

The flying hand is a robotic consisting of swarm UAVs able to grasp an object where each UAV contributes the grasping task with single contact point at tooltip. robots teleoperated by human whose fingertip motions are tracked, e.g., using RGB-D camera. We solve kinematic dissimilarity this unique master-slave system multi-layered approach that includes: interpreter translates motion in desired for be manipulated; mapping algorithm transforms into suitable set virtual points deviating from...

In order to properly control the physical interactive behavior of a flying vehicle, information about forces acting on robot is very useful. Force/torque sensors can be exploited for measuring such but their use increases cost equipment, weight carried by and, consequently, it reduces autonomy. Furthermore, sensor measure only force/torque applied point mounted in. overcome these limitations, in this paper we introduce Lyapunov based nonlinear observer estimating external quadrotor. show how...

In this paper, we shed light on two fundamental actuation capabilities of multirotors. The first is the degree coupling between total force and moment generated by propellers. second ability to robustly fly completely still in place after loss one or more propellers, case mono-directional These are formalized through definition some algebraic conditions control allocation matrices. theory valid for any multirotor, with arbitrary number, position, orientation As a show general theory,...

We study the problem of tracking mobile targets using a team aerial robots. Each robot carries camera to detect moving on ground. The overall goal is plan for trajectories robots in order track most number targets, and accurately estimate target locations images. two objectives can conflict since may fly higher altitude potentially cover larger at expense accuracy. start by showing that k ≥ 3 not be able all n while maintaining constant factor approximation optimal quality times. Next, we...