Design and Implementation of a 6DOF Control System for an Autonomous Quadrocopter

Abstract: This thesis is dedicated to design and implementation of a 6DOF control system for a quadrocopter. At the beginning of the work the quadrocopter was analyzed as a plant and physical effects with behavior of continuous /discrete elements were described. Based on the mathematical equations, continuous time invariant nonlinear mathematical model was designed. This mathematical model was linearized to create a 6DOF control system and validated thought experiments by test benches and a flying prototype of the quadrocopter. For the control system design a pole-placement approach was chosen and based on the linear validated model, with taking into account requirements to a settling time, an overshoot and a steady-state error, the control system was designed. Its behavior was checked in simulation and showed adequate results. Afterwards designed control system was implemented as a script and incorporated in a soft, developed inside ‘Aerospace Information Technology’ Department, University of Würzburg. Then series of experiments by test benches and the flying prototype were fulfilled. Based on comparing experimental and theoretical results a conclusion was made. At the end of the work advantages and drawbacks of the control system were discussed and suggestions for future work were declared.