Dynamic Modelling of a Cubic Flying Robot

This paper presents preliminary results on the dynamic modelling of a cubic flying robot referred to as the Tryphon. Several Tryphons and other similar cubic flying robots have been built in the course of this project. They are used for artistic performances in museums, art galleries or theatres. Although the Tryphons are functional, they are difficult to control because of limited knowledge of their behaviour. Hence, the development of a dynamic model has the potential to significantly improve the control performances. Based on models found in the literature, the aerostatics, aerodynamics, gravity, buoyancy and inertial effects of the Tryphon are combined into a dynamic model in this paper. The parameters of the proposed model are adjusted based on experimental data obtained with the Tryphons. It is shown that a proper selection and optimization of the parameters can accurately predict the dynamics of the robot. Further extensions of the model are discussed and potential applications are proposed.