Featured research · 2024
IEEE Access
Large-Workspace Dual Multi-Rotor Aerial Payload Deployment System Using a Cable-Suspended Device With Ducted Fans
A dual-multirotor cable-suspended system uses a ducted-fan payload device and adaptive control to actively suppress swing and deploy payloads across a large workspace.
Large workspace by design
This work develops a large-workspace aerial payload deployment system in which two multirotors cooperatively carry a payload deployment device through cables.
Unlike a rigid aerial manipulator whose reach is constrained by its arm length, the suspended architecture keeps the aerial platforms away from the working point while extending the usable workspace in both horizontal and vertical directions.
System concept
The PDD combines ducted fans, servomotors, and an onboard microcomputer. During transportation, the ducted fans provide active anti-swing control. During deployment, they regulate the PDD relative to the vertical plane formed by the two multirotors, allowing the device to reach a commanded working position without requiring the aircraft themselves to enter the constrained area.
Adaptive deployment control
The controller is designed to remain effective when the payload mass changes and when the formation distance between the two multirotors varies. The accompanying flight experiment shows the dual-aircraft platform, suspended device, and active swing suppression operating together in the full-scale test environment.
Publication
The paper was published in IEEE Access, volume 12, pages 27029–27038. The complete article is available through IEEE Xplore.