Modeling and control design of a laboratory scale helicopter

Abstract

Helicopter toy is a laboratory and research pilot manufactured by Quanser Consulting, Inc. The model is moved by two propellers (front and back side) driven by DC motors. Its configuration enables control by a computer. It is equipped with the software interface enabling real-time control from MATLAB. The pilot provides a wealth of control system design and analysis features that make it very useful for education and research purposes. The first section of the study involves the derivation of the non-linear differential equations via Lagrangian dynamics equations and Newton's second law. A nonlinear dynamic mathematical model is then derived, and an open loop Simulink block is built for comparing the performance of this mathematical model with the real system. Because the model helicopter has significant cross-coupling, a state-space multi-input multi-output (MIMO) model is preferred. A linear Quadratic (LQ) theory can be used in order to find a state feedback control in a atraightforward manner. Such LQR controller is developed using the Control System Toolbox, and the performance is evaluated via Simulink. In this study, we also examine two modelling approaches. The first is modelling by a comprehensive while the second one is approximate linearization based on the nonlinear model mentioned first. /Kir10