A method for stabilization of drone flight controlled by autopilot with time delay

Abstract

In this paper, the methods of the stability theory of differential equations with time delays are used in the study of an actual engineering problem of a drone (UAV) autonomous flight. We describe correct operation of autopilot for supply stability of desirable drone flight. There exists a noticeable delay in getting information about position and orientation of a drone to autopilot in the presence of vision-based navigation (visual navigation). In spite of this fact, we demonstrate that it is possible to provide stable flight at a constant height in a vertical plane. We describe how to form relevant controlling signal for autopilot in the case of the navigation information delay and provide control parameters for particular case of flight.