The problem considered in this paper involves the design of a vision-based autopilot for small and micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The proposed autopilot is based on an optic flow-based vision system for autonomous localization and scene mapping, and a nonlinear control system for flight control and guidance. This paper focusses on the development of a real-time 3D vision algorithm for e...

Presently, flight systems designed to perform payload -centric maneuvers require preconstructed procedures and special hand-tuned guidance modes. To enable intelligent maneuvering via strong coupling between the goals of payload-directed flight and the autopilot functions, there exists a need to rethink traditional autopilot design and function. Research into payload directed flight examines se...

This paper studies the trajectory-tracking strategy for unmanned aerial vehicles where the autopilot is involved in the feedback control. The trajectory-tracking controller is derived based on a generalized design model using Lyapunov based backstepping. The augmentations of the design model and trajectory-tracking controller are conducted to involve the autopilot in the closed-loop system. Lya...

Based on a biorobotic approach developed in our laboratory over the past 25 years, we have designed and built several terrestrial and aerial vehicles controlling their position and speed on the basis of optic flow cues (Franceschini et al. 1992, Viollet and Franceschini 1999, Ruffier and Franceschini 2005, Franceschini et al. 2007, Kerhuel et al. 2010). In particular, in our project on the auto...

This paper presents a new practical autopilot design approach to acceleration control for tail-controlled skid-to-turn (STT) missiles. The approach is novel in that the proposed parametric affine missile model adopts acceleration as the controlled output and considers the couplings between the forces as well as the moments and control fin deflections. The aerodynamic coefficients in the propose...

We have developed a visually based autopilot which is able to make an air vehicle automatically take off, cruise and land, while reacting appropriately to wind disturbances (head wind and tail wind). This autopilot consists of a visual control system that adjusts the thrust so as to keep the downward optic flow (OF) at a constant value. This autopilot is therefore based on an optic flow regulat...

This paper presents the autonomous micro aerial vehicle pilot, a new autopilot platform weighing 6.25 g and measuring 11.3 cm2, specifically designed for use on micro/miniature aerial vehicle mobile sensing platforms. An overview of the hardware, firmware, ground station, and validation testing used to demonstrate this autopilot as a viable research instrument for atmospheric thermodynamic sens...

The first flight test phase of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Autonomous Formation Flight project has successfully demonstrated precision autonomous station-keeping of an F/A-18 research airplane with a second F/A-18 airplane. Blended inertial navigation system (INS) and global positioning system (GPS) measurements have been communicated across an air-to-air telemetry link and used to c...

Although formal methods for developing computer systems have been available for more than a decade, few have had signi cant impact in practice. A major barrier to their use is that developers nd formal methods di cult to understand and apply. One exception is a formal method called SCR for specifying computer system requirements which, due to its easy-to-use tabular notation and demonstrated sc...

The Parrot AR drone 2 is a commercially available quad rotor with many sensors onboard, such as two cameras, accelerometers, gyrometers, barometer, and a magnetometer. Recently, a GPS-module has become available, which can be used to geo-tag images. We have adapted the particularly versatile and powerful Paparazzi open source autopilot for use with the Parrot AR drone. Hence, just by uploading ...