Flight stability in aerial redundant manipulators

Abstract

Ongoing efforts toward mobile manipulation from an aerial vehicle are presented. Recent tests and results from a prototype rotorcraft have shown that our hybrid structure increases stability during flight and manipulation. Since UAVs require significant setup time, suitable testing locations, and have tendencies to crash, we developed an aerial manipulation test and evaluation environment that provides controllable and repeatable experiments. By using force feedback techniques, we have designed multiple, dexterous, redundant manipulators that can grasp objects such as tools and small objects. These manipulators are controlled in concert with an emulated aerial platform to provide hovering stability. The manipulator and aircraft flight control are tightly coupled to facilitate grasping without large perturbations in the end-effector.