Quad rotor is a renowned underactuated Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with widespread military and civilian applications. Despite its simple structure, the vehicle suffers from inherent instability. Therefore, control designers always face formidable challenge in stabilization and control goal. In this paper fuzzy membership functions of the quad rotor’s fuzzy controllers are optimized using nat...

This report presents a technology warning assessment based on National Academies' methodology. The particular technology area analyzed relates to fully autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (AUAVs) from the perspective of the United States government with the objective to assess AUAV technology with the goal of strongly enabling, promoting and increasing economic growth. Focus The scope of this r...

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In this paper we describe an experimental apparatus developed in our laboratory for research and advanced teaching purposes. The device consists in an untethered spherical vehicle that autonomously rolls on the laboratory floor, and can reach arbitrary positions and orientations in the environment. The kinematics of the vehicle are nonholonomic, and result from the combination of the kinematics...

Prescribed fires have many benefits, but existing ignition methods are dangerous, costly, or inefficient. This paper presents the design and evaluation of a micro-UAS that can start a prescribed fire from the air, while being operated from a safe distance and without the costs associated with aerial ignition from a manned aircraft. We evaluate the performance of the system in extensive controll...