In-Flight UAV Model Parameter Identification: A Simulation Study

Abstract

Dynamics modeling of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is an essential step for design and evaluation of an UAV system. Many advanced control strategies for nonlinear dynamical or robotic systems which are applicable to UAVs also rely on known dynamics models. The accuracy of a model depends not only on the mathematical formulae of the model but also on the values of model parameters. Model parameters are very difficult to measure for a given UAV. This paper presents the results of a simulation based study of an in-flight model parameter identification method. Assuming the motion state of a flying UAV is directly or indirectly measureable, the method can identify the unknown inertia parameters of the UAV. Using the recursive least-square technique, the method is capable of updating the model parameters of the UAV while the vehicle is in flight.