Developing an autopilot for the peregrine falcon Robird

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce an autopilot for the peregrine falcon Robird, a robotic bird of prey. Currently, piloting the Robird is very difficult and operator intensive. The effect of flapping-wing flight on measurement data and flight stability is investigated. A gliding controller, an algorithm that takes care of transition between flight modes, is also introduced. The autopilot is implemented in the form of controllers for roll and pitch. As a result, the operator’s cognitive load is decreased and the Robird keeps itself stable when no remote control inputs are given. This is a first step towards completely autonomous flight of the Robird.