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Computational analysis and designing of flight controllers to improve the drone performance for a novice pilot

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Abstract and Figures

Flight controllers play vital role in stability, performance and control operations of a drone throughout the flight. Inappropriate flight controller selection can jeopardize both the drone and its payload, making it imperative to address the meticulous choice of drone flight controllers for specific applications. This work delves into the behavior of various flight controllers when tested in a quadcopter configuration under consistent structural and environmental conditions. The research not only examines the selection of flight controllers but also explores the challenges faced by amateur drone operators during setup and flight, offering practical techniques to overcome them. Among the various array of flight controllers available in the market, namely KK2.1.5, QQ super thunder, APM, DJI NAZA Mlite, and Pixhawk, have been used in this experiment. Comprehensive experiments were conducted using identical drone configurations to elucidate the precise difficulties associated with each flight controller. The results revealed instances of suboptimal stability, communication issues, and troubleshooting errors for certain controllers. Notably, KK2.1.5 and QQ super thunder exhibited non-responsiveness when utilized in hexacopters and octacopters. Ultimately, this research underscores the NAZA flight controller’s suitability for novice pilots among the tested options. The insights presented herein serve as a valuable resource for researchers seeking to select the most appropriate flight controller based on their piloting proficiency and for resolving challenges encountered during drone operations.
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International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-024-02161-x
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Computational analysis and designing of flight controllers to improve
the drone performance for a novice pilot
N. C. Ajay Vishwath6·Arvind R. Yadav2·Vishwes Mehra7·Vijay Patel3·Mansha Kumari B. Patel1·
Viral Sondagar1·Aditi Sharma4·Gurbhej Singh5,8
Received: 2 January 2024 / Accepted: 1 November 2024
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature 2024
Abstract
Flight controllers play vital role in stability, performance and control operations of a drone throughout the flight. Inappropriate
flight controller selection can jeopardize both the drone and its payload, making it imperative to address the meticulous choice
of drone flight controllers for specific applications. This work delves into the behavior of various flight controllers when tested
in a quadcopter configuration under consistent structural and environmental conditions. The research not only examines the
selection of flight controllers but also explores the challenges faced by amateur drone operators during setup and flight,
offering practical techniques to overcome them. Among the various array of flight controllers available in the market, namely
KK2.1.5, QQ super thunder, APM, DJI NAZA Mlite, and Pixhawk, have been used in this experiment. Comprehensive
experiments were conducted using identical drone configurations to elucidate the precise difficulties associated with each
flight controller. The results revealed instances of suboptimal stability, communication issues, and troubleshooting errors for
certain controllers. Notably, KK2.1.5 and QQ super thunder exhibited non-responsiveness when utilized in hexacopters and
octacopters. Ultimately, this research underscores the NAZA flight controller’s suitability for novice pilots among the tested
options. The insights presented herein serve as a valuable resource for researchers seeking to select the most appropriate flight
controller based on their piloting proficiency and for resolving challenges encountered during drone operations.
Keywords Flight controllers ·Drone piloting ·Piloting techniques
BArvind R. Yadav
arvind.yadav.me@gmail.com
BVijay Patel
vijaypatel.2612@gmail.com
N. C. Ajay Vishwath
ajay.nc2934@paruluniversity.ac.in
Vis hw es M eh ra
vishwesmehramehra@gmail.com
Mansha Kumari B. Patel
mansha.kumari270181@paruluniversity.ac.in
Viral Sondagar
viral.sondagar26028@paruluniversity.ac.in
Aditi Sharma
aditi.sharma@ieee.org
Gurbhej Singh
gurbhejsingh612@gmail.com
1Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Parul Institute of
Engineering & Technology, Parul University, Vadodara, India
2E&I Engineering Department, Institute of Technology, Nirma
University, Ahmedabad, India
3School of Science, Manufacturing and Infrastructure,
Kaushalya-The Skill University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
4Department of Computer Science and Engineering,
Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Symbiosis International
(Deemed University), Pune, India
5Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amritsar Group of
Colleges, 143109 Amritsar, India
6Aerospace Engineering Department, Amity University,
122413, Manesar Haryana, India
7Chitkara Centre for Research and Development, Chitkara
University, 174103 Himachal Pradesh, India
8Centre for Research Impact & Outcome, Chitkara University
Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University,
140401 Rajpura, India
123
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