Beard R. Small Unmanned Aircraft. Theory and Practice 2012

Textbook in PDF format

Designed for advanced undergraduate or graduate students in engineering or the sciences, this book offers a bridge to the aerodynamics and control of Autonomous unmanned air vehicles (UAV) flight.
This book presents a unique and broad introduction to the necessary background, tools, and methods to design guidance, navigation, and control systems for unmanned air vehicles
The authors explore the essential underlying physics and sensors of UAV problems, including low-level autopilot for stability and higher-level autopilot functions of path planning. The textbook leads the student from rigid-body dynamics through aerodynamics, stability augmentation, and state estimation using onboard sensors, to maneuvering through obstacles. To facilitate understanding, the authors have replaced traditional homework assignments with a simulation project using the MATLAB/Simulink environment. Students begin by modeling rigid-body dynamics, then add aerodynamics and sensor models. They develop low-level autopilot code, extended Kalman filters for state estimation, path-following routines, and high-level path-planning algorithms. The final chapter of the book focuses on UAV guidance using machine vision.
Brief Contents
Preface
Introduction
Coordinate Frames
Kinematics and Dynamics
Forces and Moments
Linear Design Models
Autopilot Design Using Successive Loop Closure
Sensors for MAVs
State Estimation
Design Models for Guidance
Straight-line and Orbit Following
Path Manager
Path Planning
Vision-guided Navigation
Appendix A: Nomenclature and Notation
Appendix B: Quaternions
Appendix C: Animations in Simulink
Appendix D: Modeling in Simulink Using S-functions
Appendix E: Airframe Parameters
Appendix F: Trim and Linearization in Simulink
Appendix G: Essentials from Probability Theory
Appendix H: Sensor Parameters
Bibliography
Index