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This book presents a comprehensive discussion of the mechanical modelling and control of multicopters, more commonly referred to as drones. By selecting concepts for presentation based on their ease of comprehension and suitability for practical application, the author employs a straightforward and concise approach. A main objective is to examine both the theoretical and practical aspects, as well as their interrelationship. The book presents the fundamental functional algorithms of a multicopter flight control system, specifically:
- control allocation, or the distribution of a control demand among redundant actuators;
- low-level control loops to control rotational and vertical motion;
- simple guidance loops controlling the translational motion of a multicopter; and
- an introduction to Kalman filtering, which addresses the fusion of direct sensor measurement in order to estimate the state of the drone.
These methods enable remotely piloted operation and preplanned path following.
Multicopter Flight Control will be of particular interest to academic researchers and graduate students working in the field of aerospace engineering, as well as to practising engineers engaged in the development of drones and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. It provides a comprehensive and practical guide to the fundamentals of flight control and guidance techniques, offering valuable insights for those seeking to gain a deeper understanding of these topics. In order to derive the greatest benefit from reading this monograph, readers should possess a fundamental understanding of multiple-input, multiple-output system theory, particularly state-space representation, stability and feedback control. Additionally, a basic comprehension of rotor aerodynamics and rigid-body dynamics is essential.
List of contents
Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Multicopter Control Fundamentals.- Chapter 3. Flight Mechanical Model.- Chapter 4. Control Allocation.- Chapter 5. Low-level Control.- Chapter 6. High-level Control: Guidance.- Chapter 7. Automatic Flight.- Chapter 8. State Estimation.- Chapter 9. Propulsion Failure.- Appendix.
About the author
Johannes Stephan has a diploma degree in aerospace engineering (Dipl.-Ing.) and a bachelor's degree in business administration (B.Sc.), both from the University of Stuttgart. From 2014 to 2019, he held a research assistant position at the Institute of Flight Mechanics and Flight Control, working under Prof. W. Fichter, where he continues to share his knowledge as a lecturer. In 2020, he was awarded a Ph.D. for his research on Flight Control for Manned Multirotor Aircraft. Since 2019 he has been working at German aircraft manufacturer Volocopter GmbH, currently as a team leader for flight control systems and flight control laws. Since joining Volocopter, Johannes has played a key role in the development of cutting-edge flight control systems and particularly the control laws for various Volocopter projects and models. He holds multiple patents in the eVTOL domain with a focus on control concepts and architecture, human-machine interface, and features for enhanced handling qualities.
He has published several papers and contributions to proceedings on flight control and guidance for fixed-wing aircraft and multicopters (unmanned/manned) covering various techniques such as parameter-variant control, control allocation, and anti-windup methods.
Summary
This book presents a comprehensive discussion of the mechanical modelling and control of multicopters, more commonly referred to as drones. By selecting concepts for presentation based on their ease of comprehension and suitability for practical application, the author employs a straightforward and concise approach. A main objective is to examine both the theoretical and practical aspects, as well as their interrelationship. The book presents the fundamental functional algorithms of a multicopter flight control system, specifically:
- control allocation, or the distribution of a control demand among redundant actuators;
- low-level control loops to control rotational and vertical motion;
- simple guidance loops controlling the translational motion of a multicopter; and
- an introduction to Kalman filtering, which addresses the fusion of direct sensor measurement in order to estimate the state of the drone.
These methods enable remotely piloted operation and preplanned path following.
Multicopter Flight Control will be of particular interest to academic researchers and graduate students working in the field of aerospace engineering, as well as to practising engineers engaged in the development of drones and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. It provides a comprehensive and practical guide to the fundamentals of flight control and guidance techniques, offering valuable insights for those seeking to gain a deeper understanding of these topics. In order to derive the greatest benefit from reading this monograph, readers should possess a fundamental understanding of multiple-input, multiple-output system theory, particularly state-space representation, stability and feedback control. Additionally, a basic comprehension of rotor aerodynamics and rigid-body dynamics is essential.
