Control Theory and Sensor Fusion Algorithm

Quad-Copter

David Malgoza, Engers F Davance Mercedes,
Stephen Smith, and Joshua West

School of Electrical Engineering and Computer
Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando,
Florida, 32816-2450

where flight duration varies directly with its total weight.
The frame must be designed strong and rigid enough to support all the other systems yet, light enough to so as to prolong flight duration to acceptable levels.
The Quad-Copter consists of several subsystems some of which are more interwoven into the design, such as the MCU, and some that are more isolated, for example the video system. The block diagram in figure 1 below provides an overview of the Quad-Copter's subsystems.

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Abstract - This paper is a presentation of the design methodology and realization of the Quad-Copter, a model aircraft based on a four-propeller design. The Quad-Copter can be controlled by radio transmission or operate under the guidance of limited autonomous protocols. Flight stability of the Quad-Copter is achieved using a five degrees of freedom
(DoF) inertial measurement unit (IMU). Sensor data is integrated and processed using a proportional-integral- derivative controller (PID controller), a feedback loop maintained by an on-board Atmel microcontroller. All subsystems of the Quad-Copter are designed to minimize weight and cost where practical. Index Terms Kalman filters, Microcontrollers,
Oscillators, Robot programming, Sensor systems and applications Frome>

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Fig. 1. Block diagram of Quad-Copter subsystems

II. SENSOR SUBSYSTEMS

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I. INTRODUCTION

The Quad-Copter is a small lightweight hover-capable vehicle that can be controlled over a custom wireless system. The Quad-Copter has a robust sensor suite so that it can also operate in a more autonomous mode. The autonomous mode includes subsystems such as a GPS module so that the