Aerial Robotics

Drones mischaracterize what these things are. They're not dumb.

Nor are they unmanned, actually. They're remotely piloted aircraft.
- Gen. Norton Schwarz
 Table of contents
Types of Micro Air

01 02
Vehicle Quadrotor
The article discusses various
types of micro air vehicles
Mechanics

03 04
Autonomous Flight
The article discusses the key
About TA
components required for
autonomous fight.
Types of Micro Air
Vehicle
Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) are small, unmanned
aircraft designed for specialized tasks like
surveillance, environmental monitoring, and
reconnaissance.
 Fixed Wing Vehicle
Fixed-wing Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) are
small, unmanned aircraft with rigid wings
designed for efficient long-distance flight
and higher speeds, requiring runways for
takeoff and landing.

• Efficiency
• Stability
• Payload Capacity
• Applications
RQ-11 Raven
 Flapping Wing Vehicle
Flapping-wing Micro Air Vehicles mimic
birds or insects, offering agile, quiet, and
efficient flight for confined spaces and
covert operations.

• Bio-mimicry
• Agility
• Compact Size
• Quiet Operation
• Energy Efficiency

Robobee – Havard University

 Rotor Craft
Rotorcraft are aircraft with rotating blades,
capable of vertical takeoff, landing, and
hovering, ideal for maneuverable flight.

Helicopter ● Ducted fan ● Co-axial ●

Quadrotor ● Hexrotor
Quadrotor Mechanics
 Quadrotor Mechanics
Translation Roll
By adjusting the speeds of The quadrotor can achieve
all four rotors, the roll and pitch by adjusting
quadrotor can translate in the relative speeds of the
any direction. rotors.

Pitch Yaw
Pitch in a quadrotor refers to
To achieve yaw (steering),
tilting forward or backward,
controlling the ascent and the quadrotor varies the
descent by adjusting the front speeds of the opposing
motors. pairs of rotors.
 Translation
Translation in a quadrotor refers to moving it horizontally—left, right, forward, or backward.
This is achieved by adjusting the speeds of the rotors. For example, to move forward, the
rear rotors spin faster, tilting the quadrotor forward. To move left, the right rotors spin
faster, tilting it to the left. Balancing these rotor speeds allows precise horizontal
movement.
 Roll
Roll in a quadrotor refers to tilting it side to side, controlling its side-to-side orientation. To
achieve roll, the quadrotor adjusts the speeds of its rotors. For instance, to roll right, the
left rotors spin faster while the right rotors spin slower, causing the quadrotor to tilt right.
Conversely, to roll left, the right rotors spin faster and the left rotors spin slower. This tilting
motion allows the quadrotor to change its orientation and direction horizontally.
 Pitch
Pitch in a quadrotor refers to tilting it forward or backward, controlling its front-to-back
orientation. To achieve pitch, the quadrotor adjusts the speeds of its rotors. For instance,
to pitch forward, the rear rotors spin faster while the front rotors spin slower, tilting the
quadrotor forward. Conversely, to pitch backward, the front rotors spin faster and the rear
rotors spin slower. This tilting motion allows the quadrotor to move forward or backward.
 Yaw
Yaw in a quadrotor refers to rotating it around its vertical axis, changing the direction it
faces. To achieve yaw, the quadrotor adjusts the speeds of its rotors diagonally. For
example, to yaw to the right (clockwise), the rotors spinning counterclockwise (typically
two opposite rotors) slow down, and the rotors spinning clockwise speed up. This
differential in rotor speeds creates a rotational force that turns the quadrotor left or right.
 Component for
Autonomous Flight
 Component for Autonomous Flight

State Estimation Control

Estimating the position, Commanding the motors to
velocity, rotation, and produce the desired
angular velocity of the actions to navigate to the
robot. desired state.

Mapping Planning
Mapping the Planning the robot's path
environment to plan the and actions to reach the
robot's path. desired goal.
 State Estimation
State estimation in a quadrotor refers to determining its current position, orientation,
velocity, and other key parameters essential for stable flight and navigation. This process
involves using various sensors and algorithms to accurately estimate the quadrotor's state.
Here’s how it is typically achieved:
1. Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU): Includes accelerometers and gyroscopes to
measure linear acceleration and angular velocity.
2. GPS: Provides global position data.
3. Magnetometer: Measures the magnetic field to determine the heading (yaw).
4. Barometer: Measures air pressure to estimate altitude.
5. Optical Flow Sensors: Track the movement of the quadrotor relative to the
ground.
State Estimation
 Control
Control in a quadrotor involves managing its motion and orientation to achieve stable flight
and desired maneuvers. This is achieved through a combination of hardware and software
systems working together. Here’s an overview:

Rotors and Motors

Control Inputs
Thrust
Pitch
Roll
Yaw
Flight Controller
PID Controller
Failsafe
 Mapping
Mapping in a quadrotor involves creating a detailed representation of the environment it
navigates. This is essential for tasks like autonomous navigation, obstacle avoidance, and
terrain analysis.

Sensors : Applications

LiDAR
Cameras
Ultrasonic
Sensors
GPS
 Planning
Planning in a quadrotor involves creating a sequence of actions or paths to achieve
specific goals while avoiding obstacles and ensuring stability. This is crucial for tasks like
autonomous navigation, mission execution, and real-time response to dynamic
environments.
Examplar drone in Action
 About the TA

Pranoy Mukherjee
2246063/ GME