Quadrotor control in a wind field

Abstract

This paper investigates the ability of a quadrotor to maneuver in a wind field. A dynamic model of a quadrotor is presented to model its motion. The quadrotor model includes a wind effect model to quantify the effect of wind on the dynamics of a quadrotor. A proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller is shown as a baseline controller typically used on quadrotors. A LQR controller is then shown as an alternative to a PID controller. These two controllers are compared in a simulation environment using the wind effect model and simulated wind disturbances. Both controllers are found to have similar performance in a wind field, though the LQR controller is found to be easier to tune.