Cooperative Docking of Micro Aerial Vehicles on a Mobile Ground Platform Using Model Predictive Control
Rakesh Yadav, Jinaykumar Patel, Bibek Adhikari, Kamesh Subbarao · 2025
The paper presents a cooperative docking approach for a micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) onto a Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) employing an advanced Guidance, Navigation, and Control algorithm, with the Bitcraze Crazyflie quadrotor used as the platform for demonstrating the docking process onto a mobile autonomous rover. The system is divided into two primary subsystems: the rover subsystem and the Crazyflie subsystem. The autonomous navigation and localization of the vehicles is performed using onboard sensors. The Crazyflie utilizes a position controller combined with a Model Predictive Control (MPC)-based attitude controller to accurately track the rover’s trajectory, ensuring a successful docking onto the rover platform. The simulations are conducted in the Gazebo simulation environment using the ROS framework, replicating the system’s physical behavior for realistic algorithm testing. Three cases are explored: MPC implementation in MATLAB, and docking in Gazebo with the rover stationary in the second case and in motion in the third. These simulations demonstrate the framework’s effectiveness and its potential for scaling to real-world applications.