Investigating Quadcopter Control Methods Using Computer Simulation

Abstract

In this thesis, I am working on implementing the P, PI, PD and PID controller to a non-linear quadcopter. Thereafter I will analyse and compare their performances using MATLAB/Simulink. The initial stage of my thesis was to assign material property of the quadcopter in Onshape, thereafter I derived the equations of motion and the aerodynamic forces acting on the quadcopter. The working principle of the controllers is analysed by implementing them on a brushless DC motor, thereafter a cascaded architecture is designed for the controllers. The model has three control loops: position, angular rate and motor speed. The simulation has two scenarios where the first is a quadcopter without a payload and the other a quadcopter with a payload. Both scenarios are simulated in the same environments. At the end I analyse and compare the results.