Hovering control of vectored thrust aerial vehicles

Abstract

In this paper, a vectored thrust aerial vehicle( VTAV) that has three ducted fans is considered. Since ducted fans are powerful and effective in providing lift, they are suitable for thrusters of UAVs, but modeling their aerodynamic effects such as ram drag is very difficult. The VTAV has one ducted fan fixed to its body and two ducted fans that can be tilted in order to make rotational moments, which makes the system dynamics even more complicated. This paper focuses on giving a precise dynamical model that includes aerodynamic effects of ducted fans. Then it presents a hovering controller based on the dynamical model developed. Since the horizontal dynamics are under actuated, a switching control approach is introduced to realize a stabilizing controller. Numerical simulations prove the validity of the approach.