A Software-in-the-Loop Simulation Scheme for Position Formation Flight of Multicopters

Abstract

The cooperative control of small unmanned aerial vehicles such as the multicopters has been extensively investigated worldwide for functionality augmentation and cost reduction with respect to a single larger vehicle. The present paper proposes a software-in-the-loop simulation scheme for performance evaluation and demonstration of formation flight control systems of multicopters. The simulation scheme consists of a computer network where each computer simulates one of the vehicles using the MATLAB/Simulink for implementing the local control system and the X-Plane for simulating the flight dynamics and environment. For cooperation, the local control systems exchange position data by means of the network. In order to illustrate the proposed scheme, a group of 3 octocopters is taken into consideration and a leader-follower strategy is chosen for triangular position formation, with the leader moving in a straight line with constant speed.

An educational simulation platform for GPS-denied unmanned Aerial Vehicles aimed to the detection and tracking of moving objects

“…Many existing algorithms for the autonomous control [6] and navigation [7] are provided in the literature, but it is particularly difficult to make the UAVs able to work autonomously in constrained and unknown environments or also indoors. Thus, it follows the need for tools that allow to understand what it happens when some new applications are going to be developed in unknown or critical situations.…”

“…In this paper it will be presented a software architecture through which detection, tracking and control algorithms can be verified and validated all together in a 3D graphical environment. Due to the simple implementation and the limited possibility of interfacing it with dedicated tools, the proposed software architecture should be meant with an educational purpose, although it can be considered also as a starting point for the development of a software-in-the-loop (SIL) platform (see [6,15]) in the UAV framework. Furthermore, as highlighted in [16], the interactive learning approaches allow students to improve their technical knowledge and communication skills, giving them the experience of what they will encounter in a real world environment.…”