Multicopter Operations for Autonomous Assembly Applications in Manufacturing Environments

摘要

Robotic systems have become an integral part of the manufacturing industry to reduce labor costs. Advancements in hardware and software have allowed robotic systems with automation to perform tasks ranging from product inspection to material processing, handling, and assembly with a high level of precision and efficiency. To date, manufacturing has relied on fìxed-base manipulators. This paper investigates the use of a tool-equipped multicopter for a basic material processing task in a warehouse environment, specifically drilling. A series of laboratory experiments were performed to build realistic force and torque models of drilling over a variety of drill bit sizes and product materials. A control architecture is presented to support autonomous flight during assembly tasks in simulation using these models. Initial flight tests of the multicopter platform attempting a drilling task were conducted. Experimental results provide a guide for multicopter tooltip force and torque application design requirements.