MIT’s new control system allows the foam glider to do the perch landing

Demonstrated by the researchers at MIT from the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, the new control system allows the foam glider with single motor on its tail to do the perch landing, smoothly like a bird. Developed by MIT Associate Professor Russ Tedrake, a member of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and Rick Cory, a PhD student in Tedrake's lab, this system could have deep implications on the design of robotic planes, improving on the maneuverability. And, also allowing them to charge their batteries by just aligning on power lines.

glider

In order to develop the system, the researchers first developed a mathematical model of a glider in stall. In order to find about the range of launch conditions, model was used to calculate the sequences of instructions intended to guide the glider to its perch. A set of error-correction controls, pushing the glider back on to its trajectory were also developed. Techniques developed by MIT's Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems were also used to calculate the degree of deviation that control could compensate for. For this design Rick Cory earned Boeing’s 2010 Engineering Student of the Year Award.

Via: MITnews