Full Body Motion Control for Aerial Manipulation Based on Critical Dynamic Constraints

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the motion control problem of an aerial manipulator that consists of a quadrotor base and a manipulator. We propose a novel control strategy that incorporates a simplified model considering the critical dynamics, and a linear-MPC-based trajectory converter to ensure precise velocity tracking for the end-effector. The proposed method is a full-body control approach that coordinates both the quadrotor base and the manipulator, ensuring seamless motion execution across the entire system. Furthermore, the method requires only a small set of dynamic model parameters, making it easy to deploy in practice. The method is validated through motion response experiments on a custom-designed aerial manipulator platform. Experimental results show that the platform performs well in outdoor environments, and the control strategy effectively suppresses angular velocity disturbances while coordinating the full-body joints for end-effector motion tasks.