Modelling and optimal control of an X-UFO (a 4 propeller flying object)

Flying is fun and challenging from the point of view of control. A four propeller so called X-UFO that is sold as a toy can truly fly by controlling it manually using a wireless controller (http://www.hobbytron.com/SilverLit-X-UFO-RC-Flying-Machine-RTR-with-4-Motors.html). Eric van de Burgwal, a former Msc student, invented and started this research project and developed hardware and software tools to record the X-UFO controls and play them back using a PC. Moreover he developed a simple dynamic model of the X-UFO in state-space form. Like the X-UFO itself the model can be controlled using the manual controller to perform real time simulations. In this way it acts as an X-UFO flight simulator. The state-space model is suitable for optimal control computations.

To optimally control the X-UFO sensors must be added to the X-UFO to enable feedback. This requires additional hardware and software developments. In addition by performing reverse engineering or by obtaining technical information of the X-UFO the information provided by the build in gyroscope can be made available for feedback and modeling. The next step in this research is to try to design and implement a simple controller that stabilizes the X-UFO by keeping it steady in the air. After that the goal is to make it fly patterns. on adaptive dual control

Preferable knowledge of    

• SCO-20306 Signals and Systems Modelling
  
• SCO-31306 Systems and Control Theory

Keywords: Electronics, state-space models, simulation, optimal control