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Virginia Tech

Tethered Payload Control from an Autonomous Helicopter

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

A system is designed to deploy and support a tethered ground robot from an autonomous helicopter. A winch is designed and built. Electrical hardware for power distribution and control are designed. Several applied controls problems are investigated. A control architecture is established and low level controllers are designed to meet the demands of two higher level algorithms. A tether tension controller is designed to avoid the danger of excess slack in the tether interfering with the robot's mobility. A payload sway damping controller is investigated and simulated. Its is shown to be effective in damping dangerous payload oscillations by modulating the vertical manipulation of the winch during hoisting. Future design recommendations are given regarding improvements for a second design iteration.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Mechanical Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Mechanical Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2010

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • May, James
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Kochersberger, Kevin B.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Southward, Steve C.
  • Wicks, Alfred L.

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-10082010-144859
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35331

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

May, James. Tethered Payload Control from an Autonomous Helicopter. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35331