Dynamic control of autonomous quadrotor flight in an estimated wind field

Abstract

We present a nonlinear, dynamic controller for a 6DOF quadrotor operating in an estimated, spatially varying, turbulent wind field. The quadrotor dynamics include the aerodynamic effects of drag, rotor blade flapping, and induced thrust due to translational velocity and external wind fields. To control the quadrotor we use a dynamic input/output feedback linearization controller that estimates a parametric model of the wind field using a recursive Bayesian filter. Each rotor experiences a possibly different wind field, which introduces moments that are accounted for in the controller and allows flight in wind fields that vary over the length of the vehicle. We add noise to the wind field in the form of Dryden turbulence to simulate the algorithm in two applications: autonomous ship landing and quadrotor proximity flight.