Transitions between level flight and hovering for a fixed-wing mini aerial vehicle

This article describes a control strategy to bridge the autonomous transition between level and hovering flight of a fixed-wing mini-aerial vehicle. These autonomous transitions, combined with the level-flight and hovering modes, would permit dangerous missions like reconnaissance in hostile or restricted areas. Then, there are four flight modes during a mission : the level-flight, the level-flight to hovering (L2H), the hovering, and the hovering to level-flight (H2L). The model structures for both level-flight and hovering modes are based on the linearization of a six-degree-of-freedom rigid body model of a fixed-wing mini-aerial vehicle. Controllers for both main flying modes are presented. The L2H mode is managed by the level-flight controller, whereas the H2L is managed by the hovering controller. A systematic approach based on a logic-based switching supervisor is developed to manage the transition between modes. Experimental results of a mini-aerial vehicle testbed which uses the switching supervisor are presented.