Automated landing of a tethered quad-rotor UAV with constant winching force

This paper describes the design of a system to be used in demonstrating an automated landing of a tethered quad-rotor aircraft. Tethering a quad-rotor opens up a way to transmit power to the vehicle during missions. The automated landing system comprises of the aircraft and an instrumented winch system. A model of the tethered quad-rotor is developed. The flight control system architecture for the quad-rotor is presented. Results from simulated waypoint navigation and hovering of the tethered vehicle suggest that the designed system is fit for use in an automated landing mission.