Control and Coordination of Aerial Robots in Emerging Applications

近年来，多旋翼无人机的应用由于其垂直起降能力、高机动性和低开发成本而大幅增长。然而，今天的传统四旋翼及其控制器可能不足以满足这些新兴应用中的一些。为了解决这一差距，本研究寻求新的先进的控制和协调方法，非传统的空中机器人，多旋翼无人机（S）与或没有机械臂。空中机器人提出独特的控制挑战。导致这些问题的原因是它们复杂且经常欠驱动的动力学，它们在由其他代理和障碍物共同占据的3D非结构化空间中运行，难以定位，特别是在GPS拒绝的环境中，以及它们的操作的安全关键性质。该研究将在三个相互依存的重点领域进行：（i）空中操纵（ii）可扩展的空中运输，以及（iii）人在回路半自主控制。 在空中操作的工作将关注的控制方法，为安全和稳定的操作空中机械手在自由空间和接触。这些方法应该考虑到文献中经常被忽视的空中机械手的许多重要操作约束。这将提高它们的性能、鲁棒稳定性和操作可靠性。航空运输的研究将集中在为可扩展的运输系统开发新的控制器上，在该系统中，多个四旋翼将协同携带电缆悬挂的有效载荷。新的控制器应该对风等外部干扰具有鲁棒性，能够在无人机硬件/软件和通信系统部分故障的情况下运行，并且具有能源效率。第三个研究重点将探索新的控制策略，人在回路半自主操作的空中机器人。其目的是开发共享的控制策略，使专家操作员在一个复杂的任务环境中的一个或多个空中机器人的操作的一部分。自主控制模块将协助操作员完成子任务，如避免碰撞和保持所需的无人机编队。从长远来看，这项研究的结果应该有助于多旋翼无人机在新兴应用中的使用，包括搜索和救援、基础设施的检查和维护、采矿、仓库运营、货物和药品的运送、消防、执法和国防。加拿大希望成为自主系统和人工智能领域的全球参与者的雄心，预计将推动航空机器人领域的投资。一些加拿大公司已经涉足这一领域，预计未来会有更多公司效仿。该研究计划将有助于培养高素质的人才，这些人才具有在这个快速发展的行业就业所需的特定技能。

Applications of multi-rotor drones has grown considerably in recent years because of their vertical take-off/landing capability, high maneuverability, and low development cost. However, today's conventional quad-rotors and their controllers can be inadequate for some of these emerging applications. To address this gap, this research seeks new advanced control and coordination methods for nonconventional aerial robots, multi-rotor drone(s) with or without a robotic arm. Aerial robots pose unique control challenges. Contributing to these are their complex and often underactuated dynamics, their operating in 3D unstructured spaces co-occupied by other agents and obstacles, difficult localization particularly in GPS-denied environments, and safety-critical nature of their operation. The research will be pursued in three interdependent thrusts areas of: (i) Aerial manipulation (ii) Scalable aerial transportation, and (iii) Human-in-the-loop semi-autonomous control. The work in aerial manipulation will be concerned with control methods for safe and stable operation of aerial manipulators in free space and in contact. These methods should account for many important operational constraints of aerial manipulators that are often ignored in the literature. This should improve their performance, robust stability, and operational reliability. The research in aerial transportation will focus on the development of new controllers for a scalable transport system in which multiple quad-rotors would cooperatively carry a cable-suspended payload. The new controllers should be robust to external disturbances such as wind, be able to operate in the event of partial failure in the drone's hardware/software and communication systems, and be energy efficient. The third research thrust will explore new control strategies for human-in-the-loop semi-autonomous operation of aerial robots. The aim is to develop shared control strategies that will enable an expert operator to take part in the operation of one or more aerial robots in a complex task environment. Autonomous control modules will assist the operator for subtasks such as avoiding collisions and maintaining a desired drones' formation. In long term, the results of this research should facilitate the use of multi-rotor drones in emerging applications including those in search and rescue, inspection and maintenance of infrastructure, mining, warehouse operation, delivery of goods and medicine, firefighting, law enforcement, and defence. Canada's ambition to become a global player in the fields of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence is expected to fuel investments in the area of aerial robotics. Some Canadian companies have already ventured into this space and more are expected to follow in the future. This research program will contribute to the training of highly qualified personnel with the specific skill set needed for employment in this rapidly growing industry.