Bulka, Eitan (McGill University), Nahon, Meyer (McGill University)

Autonomous Control of Agile Fixed-Wing UAVs Performing Aerobatic Maneuvers

Scheduled for presentation during the "Control Architecture - I" (WeA3), Wednesday, June 14, 2017, 10:40−11:00, Salon CD

2017 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems, June 13-16, 2017, Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL,

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on April 24, 2024

Abstract

In this work, we present an autonomous control system to perform aerobatic maneuvers with an agile fixed-wing UAV. The control system is strongly based on the underlying physics of the aircraft, thus allowing simple control techniques to work well through the full range of flight conditions undergone in aerobatic maneuvers. Moreover, this single control system is capable of performing a wide variety of maneuvers, including those demonstrated in this work: knife-edge, rolling Harrier, hover, and aggressive turnaround, as well as the transitions between these maneuvers. The system’s performance is demonstrated in a high-fidelity simulation environment.