LisEagle video transcript

The mechanical complexity and high number of degrees of freedom of avian-inspired drones pose a challenge for control.

Consequently, they are mostly remotely operated by human pilots who cannot leverage their full potential.

We propose a control method that leverages all available degrees of freedom, accounts for state dependencies and coupling effects between the actuators.

Our approach enables stable flight of the avian-inspired drone LisEagle in a controlled indoor setting.

We analyze the robustness of the method against external perturbations.

First, our framework rejects disturbances around the roll, yaw, and pitch axes.

Next, the behavior in turbulent air is evaluated. Our approach stabilizes the drone using all available degrees of freedom.

Finally, we study the robustness of our method against actuator failure.

Here, we block two control surfaces in midair without the controller's knowledge, but it remains airborne.

The overactuated nature of avian-inspired drones allows them to adapt their shape to different flight speeds.

We change the center position of wing sweep, wing twist, and tail sweep using Bayesian optimization to increase energetic efficiency in flight.

Our approach yields significant improvements at 8, 10, and 12 meters per second of up to 11.5% compared to a non-morphing configuration.

In conclusion, this work opens the door to an unmatched combination of agility and adaptability for energy-efficient flight in changing conditions.