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A Class of Dual-Frame Passively-Tilting Fully-Actuated Hexacopter

Jiajun Liu, Yimin Zhu, Xiaorui Liu, Mingye Cao, Mingchao Li, Lixian Zhang

TL;DR

This work addresses the efficiency and controllability challenges of fully-actuated UAVs by introducing a dual-frame passive tilting hexacopter that achieves independent $6$-DOF control with minimal actuators, eliminating thrust cancellation to boost endurance. It develops a dynamic model with top and bottom tilting frames connected to a central fuselage, and a hierarchical controller comprising a body controller and top/bottom controllers that distribute thrust via a thrust-allocation matrix. Simulations demonstrate the platform can maintain stable hover and accurately track a circular trajectory while decoupling position and attitude. The approach promises improved energy efficiency, robustness, and scalability for omnidirectional UAV applications.

Abstract

This paper proposed a novel fully-actuated hexacopter. It features a dual-frame passive tilting structure and achieves independent control of translational motion and attitude with minimal actuators. Compared to previous fully-actuated UAVs, it liminates internal force cancellation, resulting in higher flight efficiency and endurance under equivalent payload conditions. Based on the dynamic model of fully-actuated hexacopter, a full-actuation controller is designed to achieve efficient and stable control. Finally, simulation is conducted, validating the superior fully-actuated motion capability of fully-actuated hexacopter and the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

A Class of Dual-Frame Passively-Tilting Fully-Actuated Hexacopter

TL;DR

This work addresses the efficiency and controllability challenges of fully-actuated UAVs by introducing a dual-frame passive tilting hexacopter that achieves independent -DOF control with minimal actuators, eliminating thrust cancellation to boost endurance. It develops a dynamic model with top and bottom tilting frames connected to a central fuselage, and a hierarchical controller comprising a body controller and top/bottom controllers that distribute thrust via a thrust-allocation matrix. Simulations demonstrate the platform can maintain stable hover and accurately track a circular trajectory while decoupling position and attitude. The approach promises improved energy efficiency, robustness, and scalability for omnidirectional UAV applications.

Abstract

This paper proposed a novel fully-actuated hexacopter. It features a dual-frame passive tilting structure and achieves independent control of translational motion and attitude with minimal actuators. Compared to previous fully-actuated UAVs, it liminates internal force cancellation, resulting in higher flight efficiency and endurance under equivalent payload conditions. Based on the dynamic model of fully-actuated hexacopter, a full-actuation controller is designed to achieve efficient and stable control. Finally, simulation is conducted, validating the superior fully-actuated motion capability of fully-actuated hexacopter and the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 9 sections, 13 equations, 5 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Mechanical Design
  3. Dynamic Modeling
  4. Controller Design
  5. Body Controller Design
  6. Top/Bottom Controller Design
  7. Thrust Allocation Matrix
  8. Simulation Studies
  9. Conclusion

Figures (5)

  • Figure 1: Summary of the fully-actuated UAVs, which are roughly divided into two categories: fixed-tilt ones and dynamic-tilt ones, cf.
  • Figure 2: The mechanical design details of the fully-actuated hexacopter.
  • Figure 3: The definition of the coordinate systems of the fully-actuated hexacopter, comprising the world inertial coordinate system $\bm{I}$, the body coordinate system $\bm{B}$, the top-body coordinate systems $\bm{B_t}$, and the bottom-body coordinate systems $\bm{B_b}$.
  • Figure 4: The definition of the coordinate systems of the fully-actuated hexacopter, comprising the top-frame coordinate systems $\bm{P_t}$ and bottom-frame coordinate systems $\bm{P_b}$.
  • Figure 5: Flight trajectory simulation test results. (a) the fully-actuated hexacopter flight trajectory, with the desired trajectory being a circle with a diameter of 1 meters. (b) Time response of the attitude.