Landing of a Quadrotor on an Oscillating Platform Using Predictive Control Strategy

• Grant number: 23/16920-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Aerospace Engineering - Flight Dynamics
• Principal Investigator: Glauco Augusto de Paula Caurin
• Grantee: Carlos Henrique Craveiro Aquino Veras
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Unmanned Autonomous Aerial Vehicles with vertical take-off and landing capabilities (UAVs-VTOL) are increasingly used in automating tasks across various sectors of the economy. Consequently, sectors such as the port and oil industries have been integrating these aircraft into their activities, particularly for monitoring tasks on floating platforms. In this new scenario, the operation of these aircraft needs to be reconsidered, as atypical operating conditions, such as the presence of strong wind gusts and landing platforms with significant oscillation due to the maritime environment, must be taken into account by the control strategy employed in UAVs to avoid catastrophic failures. In light of this problem, this project proposes the use of a model-based predictive control algorithm (MPC) for the proper operation of quadrotors under the mentioned conditions, with a specific focus on landing on oscillating platforms. To validate the proposed strategy, in addition to simulating the system comprising the quadrotor, controller, and oscillating platform using MATLAB/Simulink software, it is intended to provide results from other already proposed and published solutions for performance comparison. Therefore, this project is expected to contribute to the fields of Control Systems, Automation, and Autonomous Aerial Systems, bridging gaps observed in existing methodologies.