Course:

Code:
Credits:
Syllabus:
Course Responsible:
Teacher:

Design Modelling and Control of Unmanned Aerial Systems

ADDITIONAL COURSE CONTENTS IMPORTANCE (FOCUS ON DESIGN & MODELLING)

The objective of the extra course material is to provide the background knowledge for the design of
simple small UAS, as well as to provide the necessary tools to operate them in indoor or outdoor
environments applying state-of-the-art navigation and control algorithms.
The course contents consists of three parts: first, the basics of aerodynamics and flight mechanics of
fixed wing aircraft are treated, along with related design and control concepts. The second part covers
different helicopter types, with a focus on quadrotors configuration. Also is important to treat both
recursive estimation techniques as well as nonlinear batch-optimization. Case studies on the main
topics provide the link to real applications and to the state of the art in UAS research.
PRE-REQUISITES
Fluid Dynamics
Mechanics
Control Systems
GENERIC COMPETENCIES TO BE DEVELOPED BY THE STUDENTS
Se ha establecido que, al concluir el curso, el estudiante debera haber alcanzado el desarrollo de las
siguientes competencias en el nivel de familiaridad, comprensin, aplicacin o experticia:
Generic Technical Competencies
-

Learn basic and advanced concepts in UAS design along with the corresponding control theory.

Design and implementation of complex robotics systems at software and hardware level.

Use of software and hardware development tools in Robotics Field.

ADDITIONAL COURSE CONTENTS

CONTENTS
LECTURE 1:
GENERAL INTRODUCTION&
FIXED WING: BASICS OF AERODYNAMICS
CONTENTS:

Motivation and Goals

Fixed Wing UAS:
Basics of Aerodynamics
Performance Considerations

ESPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
Conceptual Competencies:

Historical Overview
Technical Competencies:

Aerodynamics principles

Performance Considerations

LECTURE 2:
FIXED WING: STABILITY AND DYNAMIC MODEL
CONTENTS:

Stability

Simplified Dynamic Model

Technical Competencies:

Useful notations

Static a Dynamic Stability

Criteria of static stability

Simplified Dynamic Model

LECTURE 3:
FIXED WING: CONTROL AND FUEL CASES
CONTENTS:

UAV Control Approaches

Flight Dynamics

Flight Control

Case Studies

Conceptual Competencies:

Control concepts

Historic and overview of solar powered Flight

Technical Competencies:

Fixed wing control applied control theory

Aspects of Flight Dynamics and flight Control

Simple control scheme

LECTURE 4:
ROTARY WING: INTRDUCTION, MECHANICAL DESIGN
AND AERODYNAMICS
CONTENTS:

Introduction

Mechanical Design

Propeller Aerodynamics

Conceptual Competencies:

Definition

Historical overview

Rotorcraft Configuration
Technical Competencies:

Mechanical Design

Basic propeller Aerodynamics

LECTURE 5:
ROTARY WING: PROPELLER ANALYSIS AND DYNAMIC
MODELLING
CONTENTS:

Propeller Modeling

Dynamics Modeling

Technical Competencies:

Propeller/Rotor Analysis

Modeling Overview

Fuselage Dynamics

Modeling examples

LECTURE 6:
ROTARY WING: CONTROL OF A QUADROTOR
CONTENTS:

Technical Competencies:

Stability Analysis

Virtual Control

Hierarchical Control

Attitude Control

Altitude Control

Position Control

Control
Case Studies