Improving attitude estimation and control of quadrotor systems

[EN] Some improvements in state estimation and control of quadrotors are presented. An efficient fusion algorihtm based on the Kalman filter, which also compensates the time delay in the attitude estimation is developed. Furthermore, a novel control approach is applied with succesful and promising results[ES] En esta tesina se presentan algunas mejoras en la estimación del estado y control de cuadrirrotores. Se desarrolla un algoritmo de fusión eficiente, que además compensa el retardo en la estimación de la orientación. También se consigue aplicar una técnica de control innovadora con buenos y prometedores resultadosSanz Díaz, R. (2014). Improving attitude estimation and control of quadrotor systems. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/56144Archivo delegad

Development of a ground testing facility and attitude control for magnetically actuated nanosatellites

Growing popularity of the highly capable small- and nano-satellites, driven by components miniaturization, face new technological challenges and at the same time provides new opportunities for the whole space sector. Low cost of nanosatellites launches make them accessible. Reliability is an exigency: especially challenging is design and testing of Attitude and Determination Control Systems (ADCS). Demand for nanosatellitesdedicated attitude control algorithms and careful performance assessment of the spacecrafts motivates the research work presented in this thesis. In the first part of the manuscript, development and assessment of the three degreesoffreedom ADCS testbed for nanosatellites testing is described. The facility was developed within the Microsatellites and Space Microsystems Lab at University of Bologna, and designed to meet strict low-cost requirements. The facility includes several integrated subsystems to simulate the on-orbit environment: i) an air-bearing based, three degree of freedom platform with automatic balancing system, ii) a Helmholtz , iii) a Sun simulator, and iv) a metrology vision system . Experimental assessment of the subsystems guarantee necessary level of performance. Control law design for smallsats is addressed in the second part. Limited power availability and reliability makes magnetic actuation particularly suited for ADCS design, but, the control system faces inherent underactuation. To overcome the intrinsic limits of existing control designs, a novel approach to the three-axis attitude control of a magnetically actuated spacecrafts is proposed, based on hybrid systems theory. A local H-inf regulator with guaranteed performance and a global nonlinear controller used for ensuring global stability and robustness, are combined. Hybrid control theory is employed to develop a mixed continuous-discrete controller able to switch between different feedbacks. Analytical results are verified by means of realistic numerical simulations: errors on the state comply with the computed bounds and stability is guaranteed

International Symposium on Magnetic Suspension Technology, Part 1

The goal of the symposium was to examine the state of technology of all areas of magnetic suspension and to review related recent developments in sensors and controls approaches, superconducting magnet technology, and design/implementation practices. The symposium included 17 technical sessions in which 55 papers were presented. The technical session covered the areas of bearings, sensors and controls, microgravity and vibration isolation, superconductivity, manufacturing applications, wind tunnel magnetic suspension systems, magnetically levitated trains (MAGLEV), space applications, and large gap magnetic suspension systems

1999 Flight Mechanics Symposium

This conference publication includes papers and abstracts presented at the Flight Mechanics Symposium held on May 18-20, 1999. Sponsored by the Guidance, Navigation and Control Center of Goddard Space Flight Center, this symposium featured technical papers on a wide range of issues related to orbit-attitude prediction, determination, and control; attitude sensor calibration; attitude determination error analysis; attitude dynamics; and orbit decay and maneuver strategy. Government, industry, and the academic community participated in the preparation and presentation of these papers

Hybrid Attitude Control and Estimation On SO(3)

This thesis presents a general framework for hybrid attitude control and estimation design on the Special Orthogonal group SO(3). First, the attitude stabilization problem on SO(3) is considered. It is shown that, using a min-switch hybrid control strategy designed from a family of potential functions on SO(3), global exponential stabilization on SO(3) can be achieved when this family of potential functions satisfies certain properties. Then, a systematic methodology to construct these potential functions is developed. The proposed hybrid control technique is applied to the attitude tracking problem for rigid body systems. A smoothing mechanism is proposed to filter out the discrete behaviour of the hybrid switching mechanism leading to control torques that are continuous. Next, the problem of attitude estimation from continuous body-frame vector measurements of known inertial directions is considered. Two hybrid attitude and gyro bias observers designed directly on SO(3) are proposed. The first observer uses a set of innovation terms and a switching mechanism that selects the appropriate innovation term. The second observer uses a fixed innovation term and allows the attitude state to be reset (experience discrete transition or jump) to an adequately chosen value on SO(3). Both hybrid observers guarantee global exponential stability of the zero estimation errors. Finally, in the case where the body-frame vector measurements are intermittent, an event-triggered attitude estimation scheme on SO(3) is proposed. The observer consists in integrating the continuous angular velocity during the interval of time where the vector measurements are not available, and updating the attitude state upon the arrival of the vector measurements. Both cases of synchronous and asynchronous vector measurements with possible irregular sampling periods are considered. Moreover, some modifications to the intermittent observer are developed to handle different practical issues such as discrete-time implementation, noise filtering and gyro bias compensation

Development of a guidance, navigation and control architecture and validation process enabling autonomous docking to a tumbling satellite

Thesis (Sc. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 307-324).The capability to routinely perform autonomous docking is a key enabling technology for future space exploration, as well as assembly and servicing missions for spacecraft and commercial satellites. Particularly, in more challenging situations where the target spacecraft or satellite is tumbling, algorithms and strategies must be implemented to ensure the safety of both docking entities in the event of anomalies. However, difficulties encountered in past docking missions conducted with expensive satellites on orbit have indicated a lack of maturity in the technologies required for such operations. Therefore, more experimentation must be performed to improve the current autonomous docking capabilities. The main objectives of the research presented in this thesis are to develop a guidance, navigation and control (GN&C) architecture that enables the safe and fuel-efficient docking with a free tumbling target in the presence of obstacles and anomalies, and to develop the software tools and verification processes necessary in order to successfully demonstrate the GN&C architecture in a relevant environment. The GN&C architecture was developed by integrating a spectrum of GN&C algorithms including estimation, control, path planning, and failure detection, isolation and recovery algorithms.(cont.) The algorithms were implemented in GN&C software modules for real-time experimentation using the Synchronized Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellite (SPHERES) facility that was created by the MIT Space Systems Laboratory. Operated inside the International Space Station (ISS), SPHERES allow the incremental maturation of formation flight and autonomous docking algorithms in a risk-tolerant, microgravity environment. Multiple autonomous docking operations have been performed in the ISS to validate the GN&C architecture. These experiments led to the first autonomous docking with a tumbling target ever achieved in microgravity. Furthermore, the author also demonstrated successful docking in spite of the presence of measurement errors that were detected and rejected by an online fault detection algorithm. The results of these experiments will be discussed in this thesis. Finally, based on experiments in a laboratory environment, the author establishes two processes for the verification of GN&C software prior to on-orbit testing on the SPHERES testbed.by Simon Nolet.Sc.D

System modelling and control

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New Approaches in Automation and Robotics

The book New Approaches in Automation and Robotics offers in 22 chapters a collection of recent developments in automation, robotics as well as control theory. It is dedicated to researchers in science and industry, students, and practicing engineers, who wish to update and enhance their knowledge on modern methods and innovative applications. The authors and editor of this book wish to motivate people, especially under-graduate students, to get involved with the interesting field of robotics and mechatronics. We hope that the ideas and concepts presented in this book are useful for your own work and could contribute to problem solving in similar applications as well. It is clear, however, that the wide area of automation and robotics can only be highlighted at several spots but not completely covered by a single book