Gramian-Aware Control Approach for Atmospheric Gust Harvesting
- 1 January 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in Journal of Aerospace Information Systems
- Vol. 19 (1), 53-61
- https://doi.org/10.2514/1.i010951
Abstract
Micro-aerial vehicles (MAVs) lack the endurance times demanded by typical mission applications, and previous work to minimize flight path disturbances has also quantified their high atmospheric sensitivities. This study introduces an approach to modulate the sensitivity through real-time parameter variation that translates into a net energy gain of the vehicle. By applying a control-theoretic disturbance sensitivity framework and observability gramian via a “gust capture metric,” the formulation modulates vehicle gust response to sensed favorable (or unfavorable) vertical gusts. The approach is implemented in a nonlinear simulation and an experimental test environment for a representative 21 g MAV. These results include the development of a system-identified MAV flight dynamics model and the development of an experimental facility to provide automated, repeatable indoor flight tests over a gust field. Nonlinear model simulation indicates that the control law provides altitude gain over an idealized gust field, consistent with theoretical analysis. The experimental flight facility was equipped with a gust field generation capability, and its velocity and turbulence intensity distribution was quantified. The experimental flight tests evaluating altitude gain under vehicle controller modification show agreement with theoretical and simulation results and indicate the importance of turbulence distribution in atmospheric gust harvesting experiments.Keywords
Funding Information
- Army Research Laboratory (W911NF-08-2-0004)
- NASA (80NSSC20M0162)
This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Energy-Harvesting Mechanisms for UAV Flight by Dynamic SoaringInternational Journal of Micro Air Vehicles, 2015
- UAV energy extraction with incomplete atmospheric data using MPCIEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, 2015
- Fixed-wing MAV attitude stability in atmospheric turbulence—Part 2: Investigating biologically-inspired sensorsProgress in Aerospace Sciences, 2014
- Comparative Framework for Maneuverability and Gust Tolerance of MicrohelicoptersJournal of Aircraft, 2014
- Gramian Analysis of a Shrouded Rotor Micro Air Vehicle in HoverJournal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 2014
- Energy-Based Long-Range Path Planning for Soaring-Capable Unmanned Aerial VehiclesJournal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 2011
- Analysis of Insect-Inspired Wingstroke Kinematic Perturbations for Longitudinal ControlJournal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 2011
- Hair receptor sensitivity to changes in laminar boundary layer shapeBioinspiration & Biomimetics, 2010
- Gust Energy Extraction for Mini and Micro Uninhabited Aerial VehiclesJournal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 2009
- Computation of Actuation Power Requirements for Smart Wings with Morphing AirfoilsAIAA Journal, 2005