Minimum Snap Trajectory Generation and Control for an Under-actuated Flapping Wing Aerial Vehicle

TL;DR

This paper develops and experimentally validates a comprehensive trajectory generation and control framework for underactuated flapping wing aerial vehicles, integrating differential flatness, robust control, and stability analysis for practical 3D flight.

Contribution

It introduces the first closed-loop system combining trajectory generation and control for real 3D flight of an underactuated FWAV, with stability guarantees.

Findings

Successful implementation of trajectory generation and control in real flight

Demonstration of differential flatness in FWAV dynamics

System stability confirmed through Lyapunov analysis

Abstract

Minimum Snap Trajectory Generation and Control for an Under-actuated Flapping Wing Aerial VehicleThis paper presents both the trajectory generation and tracking control strategies for an underactuated flapping wing aerial vehicle (FWAV). First, the FWAV dynamics is analyzed in a practical perspective. Then, based on these analyses, we demonstrate the differential flatness of the FWAV system, and develop a general-purpose trajectory generation strategy. Subsequently, the trajectory tracking controller is developed with the help of robust control and switch control techniques. After that, the overall system asymptotic stability is guaranteed by Lyapunov stability analysis. To make the controller applicable in real flight, we also provide several instructions. Finally, a series of experiment results manifest the successful implementation of the proposed trajectory generation strategy and tracking control strategy. This work firstly achieves the closed-loop integration of trajectory generation and control for real 3-dimensional flight of an underactuated FWAV to a practical level.