Thrust Vectoring Control for Heavy UAVs, Employing a Redundant Communication System.

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Control Systems
• Robotics

Background:

• Communication sensors are critical for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) control.
• System reliability can be improved by integrating redundant sensors and actuators.
• Existing control methods may face challenges in heavy UAVs with specific propulsion systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel approach for integrating multiple sensors and actuators in heavy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
• To design and evaluate a Robust Thrust Vectoring Control (RTVC) technique for enhanced UAV communication and stability.
• To assess the performance of RTVC against conventional control methods.

Main Methods:

• Integration of diverse sensors and actuators for heavy UAVs.
• Development of a Robust Thrust Vectoring Control (RTVC) algorithm.
• Comparative analysis of RTVC with cascade PID controllers.

Main Results:

• The proposed RTVC effectively controls communication modules and stabilizes UAV attitude.
• RTVC demonstrates performance comparable to cascade PID controllers, especially in multi-rotors with flaps.
• RTVC shows potential for increasing autonomy in UAVs with thermal engines.

Conclusions:

• Robust Thrust Vectoring Control (RTVC) offers a viable alternative for UAV control systems.
• The RTVC approach enhances system reliability and performance in heavy UAVs.
• RTVC is particularly suitable for UAVs where propellers cannot be used as control surfaces.