Control of tailed flapping-wing flying robot

Abstract

In this study, a linear time invariant system model is established to analyze the flight stability of a tailed flapping-wing flying robot in cycle-averaged sense. Eigenvalue analysis shows that the flying robot has inherent flight stability in longitudinal plane and any directional combinations of body disturbances can be passively stabilized without any active efforts on wing and tail kinematics. Control of such stable system is quite straightforward; simple proportional feedback controllers for tracking a desired trajectory of heading and altitude are successfully implemented to the tailed flapping-wing flying robot and tested by using motion capture system. Even the flying robot is highly underactuated, controls of wingbeat frequency and rudder are sufficient to make it fly in a circle with constant radius and altitude in cycle-averaged manner.