Challenge:
Design a control system to regulate the elevation and travel of the 3
DOF helicopter.
Description:
Two DC motors are mounted at the two ends of a rectangular frame and
drive two propellers. The motors axes are parallel and the thrust vector
is normal to the frame. The helicopter frame is suspended from in instrumented
joint mounted at the end of a long arm and is free to pitch about its
centre. The arm is gimbaled on a 2 DOF instrumented joint and is free
to pitch and yaw. The other end of the arm carries a counterweight such
that the effective mass of the helicopter is light enough for it to be
lifted using the thrust from the motors. A positive voltage applied to
the front motor causes a positive pitch while a positive voltage applied
to the back motor causes a negative pitch. A positive voltage to either
motor also causes an elevation of the body (pitch of the arm). If the
body pitches, the thrust vectors result in a travel of the body (yaw
of the arm) as well. The vertical base is equipped with an eight-contact
slipring. Electrical signals to and from the arm and helicopter are channeled
through the slipring to eliminate tangled wires, reduce friction and
allow for unlimited and unhindered travel.
The system is supplied with an LQR controller. You may implement any
controller you wish.
Difficulty:
Undergraduate - second course / project / Graduate
/ Research
