Cooperative Drone Delivery via Push-based Lift with Payload Stabilization
Alice James, Avishkar Seth, Endrowednes Kuantama, Richard Y. Han, Subhas Chandra Mukhopadhyay · 2024
Advancements in robotics have led to innovative approaches that employ quadcopters for carrying loads. In this paper, we introduce a unique system: a cooperative aerial robot delivery system employing a push-based method to transport payloads. This system includes a self-stabilizing tray with dual resistive sensor panels and a highly responsive 3-degree end-effector servo control designed to counteract payload instability. In our experiments, two Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) successfully transported three distinct pay-load types, varying in size, mainly under indoor conditions. The Self Balancing Tray's (SBT) servo angles demonstrated reliable precision, with deviations reaching 1.6% from the average, enabling a rapid transport speed of up to 4 meters per second. Such accuracy is vital for safely moving delicate payloads. During flight, the system adeptly adjusted the payload's position, requiring merely 2.4 seconds for re-stabilization. Furthermore, the 3-degree end-effector (3-DEE) significantly minimized vibrations, enhancing the system's stability. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of push-based lift for cooperative drone payload transport systems.