Integrated structure-control design optimization of an unmanned quadrotor helicopter (UGH) for object grasping and manipulation

Abstract

In this study, the problem of integrated system-level design optimization for a quadrotor equipped with a robotic arm and gripper is addressed and thoroughly discussed. First, the operational objectives and the mission of the system are defined and main components are introduced. Then the system level analysis is described in such a way that for the robotic gripper, manipulator and the quadrotor structure, a mechanical system-level optimization is formulated and in a bigger design integration loop, the overall mechanical-control system optimization is solved which guarantees an optimal system solution after a number of iterations. At the end, more detailed numerical results are discussed and analyzed.