MORE | Fall 2023

Surface Effects Mapping of a Multirotor in Close Proximity to the Ground, Ceiling, and Walls

Multirotors are used in applications such as surveillance, search and rescue, and package delivery. However, close-proximity flights near surfaces affect stability and performance. Of the Surface Effects (SE), only ground effect has been studied in depth, however this project aims to build a comprehensive SE model using a hexarotor fixed onto a force/torque sensor. An adjustable table simulates the ground or ceiling during data collection, while actual walls are used to induce wall effects. Data collected will be used to build a predictive model. The model then can be used to build energy-efficient navigation algorithms that use these surface effects to perform tasks.