Experimental and theoretical study of attitude control of flapping wing micro aerial vehicle

The stability and control capability of a dragonfly-type Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) which employs resonance-type flapping wings has been studied using an experimental model and a flight simulation technique. The experimental model is designed to be supported at its CG position with pitch and roll freedoms. The control forces needed to keep the pitch and roll motions stable are generated by changing the frequency of each wing (four wings, namely, right- and left-, and fore and hind-wings) that are activated by four motors. We employed two different types of the attitude sensors, that are an ultra-sound sensor and a G-sensor (acceleration sensor). A PID control law is employed for the attitude control. It has been demonstrated that the attitude (pitch and roll) of the present experimental model can be successfully controlled by changing the frequency of each wing. In addition to the experimental study, the theoretical study using the flight simulation technique has also been conducted to examine the sensitivity of the present control method to the various parameters, such as moment of inertia and the arrangement of the flapping wings. As a result, the several points which must be improved towards the development of a free-flight model are clarified.