Multi-objective control for cooperative payload transport with rotorcraft UAVs

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Control Systems
• Aerospace Engineering

Background:

• Cooperative control of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is crucial for complex tasks.
• Transporting cable-suspended payloads presents challenges in stability and load distribution.
• Existing methods often lack robustness against external disturbances like wind.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel kinematic formation controller for two rotorcraft UAVs.
• To enable stable and safe transportation of a cable-suspended payload.
• To address challenges including collision avoidance, wind perturbations, and load weight distribution.

Main Methods:

• Development of a null-space theory-based kinematic formation controller.
• Inclusion of accurate nonlinear dynamic models for helicopters, flexible cables, and payload.
• Validation through realistic simulation scenarios.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated system stability using Lyapunov theory.
• Simulation results confirm the controller's effectiveness in payload transportation.
• Successful handling of collision avoidance and wind perturbations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed controller offers a robust solution for cooperative payload transportation using rotorcraft UAVs.
• The approach ensures stability and addresses critical real-world challenges.
• This work advances the capabilities of multi-UAV systems in complex aerial manipulation tasks.