Contact-Aware Incremental Model Predictive Control for an Underactuated Aerial Manipulator

2026-09-10

AI Summary

研究通过结合非线性模型预测控制和增量非线性动态逆方法，解决了欠驱动空中操作器在接触任务中的位置与力跟踪问题。

Abstract

We present a robust contact-aware control framework for aerial writing on an underactuated platform. The framework combines nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) for accurate end-effector position and normal-force tracking at small reference penetration depths, with consistent performance across controller tunings, with whole-body incremental nonlinear dynamic inversion (INDI) for robustness to frictional and aerodynamic disturbances during contact. The proposed controllers are validated on a quadrotor-based aerial manipulator with a rigid, single-link, one-degree-of-freedom (DoF) arm in simulation and real-world experiments. The aerial writing experiments span vertical and inclined surfaces, multiple reference forces, different friction conditions, and wind disturbances. The results demonstrate that robust simultaneous five-DoF end-effector pose and contact-force tracking is achievable on a standard underactuated quadrotor with a simple, rigid, single-link arm, without requiring a fully actuated platform, a complex arm, or dedicated force/torque sensing.

Problem

• aerial manipulator
• underactuated platform
• contact-aware control
• end-effector tracking
• disturbances

Innovation

• contact-aware control
• nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC)
• incremental nonlinear dynamic inversion (INDI)
• underactuated aerial manipulator