Real-Time Setup with PD and Backstepping Control for a Pelican Quadrotor

In this paper, a real-time setup and an implementation of a Proportional Derivative (PD) controller for orientation and comparison between PD and BackStepping (BS) controllers for linear positioning are presented using a Pelican quadrotor from Ascending Technologies (AscTec). An onboard Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) was used for orientation control and Optitrack Vision Tracking System for linear positioning control. A linear Kalman filter was implemented for linear velocity estimation. The software and hardware integration was achieved with the help of the Robot Operating System (ROS). Simulations and experiments with this drone platform are achieved in order to implement different controller algorithms and analyse them in order to achieve better aircraft performance.