Multibody simulations of distributed flight arrays for Industry 4.0 applications

Yip, Lewis; Nemati, Hamidreza; Mercorelli, Paolo; Zhu, Quanmin

Abstract

Distributed Flight Arrays (DFAs) are an experimental type of aerial, multi-rotor, vehicle capable of land-based navigation and cooperative aerial flight involving physically docking with N-number of other agents forming a larger structure with some designs allowing for unassisted solo flight. DFAs would be able to be configured into the most resource efficient structures for achieving a specific logistics operation and be capable of manoeuvring around the warehouse environment in a relatively unrestricted manner. For the application of material handling a reliable, predictable, and safe mode of transporting a payload is required. Gathering large amounts of data across a large variety of payload systems and DFA formations is an extremely large undertaking when done through real world experimentation. This large scope is much more suitable for a computer-based physics simulation as they allow for rapid iteration and data gathering without the high resource investment of real-world experimentation. This research finds that the multibody simulation software Simscape is capable of complex control system simulation research for handling the flight and navigation of a DFA and that DFA slung payload systems are highly likely to be compatible with future material handling operations due to developments in automation in Industry 4.0.

Citation

Yip, L., Nemati, H., Mercorelli, P., & Zhu, Q. (2024). Multibody simulations of distributed flight arrays for Industry 4.0 applications. In Modeling, Identification, and Control for Cyber- Physical Systems Towards Industry 4.0 (247 - 278). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2021-0-02869-8

• Online Publication Date: Jan 12, 2024
• Publication Date: Jan 12, 2024
• Deposit Date: Feb 24, 2024
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Pages: 247 - 278
• Book Title: Modeling, Identification, and Control for Cyber- Physical Systems Towards Industry 4.0
• Chapter Number: 11
• ISBN: 9780323952071
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/C2021-0-02869-8
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11745954