Flight Control of Sliding Arm Quadcopter with Dynamic Structural Parameters

The conceptual design and flight controller of a novel kind of quadcopter are presented. This design is capable of morphing the shape of the UAV during flight to achieve position and attitude control. We consider a dynamic center of gravity (CoG) which causes continuous variation in a moment of inertia (MoI) parameters of the UAV. These dynamic structural parameters play a vital role in the stability and control of the system. The length of quadcopter arms is a variable parameter, and it is actuated using attitude feedback-based control law. The MoI parameters are computed in real-time and incorporated in the equations of motion of the system. The UAV utilizes the angular motion of propellers and variable quadcopter arm lengths for position and navigation control. The movement space of the CoG is a design parameter and it is bounded by actuator limitations and stability requirements of the system. A detailed information on equations of motion, flight controller design and possible applications of this system are provided. Further, the proposed shape-changing UAV system is evaluated by comparative numerical simulations for way point navigation mission and complex trajectory tracking.