Nonlinear Model Predictive Control of Position and Attitude in a Hexacopter with Three Failed Rotors

Abstract

We applied nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) to an unmanned aerial vehicle (a hexacopter) with three failed rotors out of the six rotors available. We considered three cases of failure: a case in which three rotors in alternate positions stop, a case in which two adjacent rotors and a separate rotor stop, and a case in which three adjacent rotors stop. Simulation results show that, by applying NMPC, the position and attitude of the hexacopter can be controlled from an initial state that significantly deviates from a state of equilibrium in consideration of constraints. Moreover, we simulated a case in which there was no static equilibrium state and succeeded in controlling the hexacopter's position.