Rapid Motion Control and Design of a Tricopter Style Hovering Ground Robot
Justin Simko, Akin Tatoglu · 2019
Abstract An analysis of the design and manufacture of a tricopter style hovercraft is realized in detail, along with the parameters for determining the geometry due to power requirements. The aircraft is constructed with three ducted fans in the vertical orientation, denoting the layout of the classic tricopter frame. The purpose of this study is to establish a design of a ground vehicle capable of multi-terrain navigation. A simplified skirt solution is presented for the aircushion. The model is robust enough for rough terrain and sufficient for maintaining the cushion pressure that enables the ground effect to work towards a higher efficiency. The design process for the model consists of the use of CAD to layout and simulate all components. The efficiency and battery life of the vehicle is compared to the tricopter and a flight test verifies its capability to follow a given path.