Altitude control of flapping-wing MAV using vision-based navigation

The altitude control of flapping-wing micro-aerial vehicles (MAVs) is discussed in this paper. The Tamkang University (TKU) has been devoted to the development of flapping-wing robots for a long period, including design, fabrication and control. On the basis of the earlier knowledge on the Golden Snitch, a flapping-wing MAV in TKU, we develop a non-intrusive navigation methodology by using stereo vision, and stabilize the flight trajectory with a modified P-control. Different from other mechanical or aerial systems, the selections in control signal are limited in this problem due to the restrictions in carry-on weight. Numerical simulations and flight tests are also provided to demonstrate the robustness of our control law and the system structure. We are confident that this should be the first flapping-wing MAV under 10 grams capable of autopilot. The ultimate goal of this work is to realize fully autonomous flight of flapping-wing MAVs.