A Comprehensive Review on Reconfigurable Drones: Classification, Characteristics, Design and Control Technologies

Abstract

Recently, reconfigurable drones have gained particular attention in the field of automation and flying robots. Unlike the conventional drones, they are characterized by a variable mechanical structure in flight, geometric adaptability, aerial reconfiguration, high number of actuators and control inputs, and variable mathematical model. In addition, they are exploited to flight in more cluttered environments, avoid collisions with obstacles, transport and grab objects, cross narrow and small spaces, decrease different aerial damages, optimize the consumed energy, and improve agility and maneuverability in flight. Moreover, these new drones are considered as a viable solution to provide them with specific and additional functionalities. They are a promising solution in the near future, since they allow increasing considerably the capabilities and performance of classical drones in terms of multi-functionalities, geometric adaptation, design characteristics, consumed energy, control, maneuverability, agility, efficiency, obstacles avoidance, and fault tolerant control. This paper explores very interesting and recent research works, which include the classification, the main characteristics, the various applications, and the existing designs of this particular class of drones. Besides, an in-depth review of the applied control strategies will be presented. The links of the videos displaying the results of these researches will be also shown. A comparative study between the different types of flying vehicles will be established. Finally, several new challenges and future directions for reconfigurable drones will be discussed.

Adaptive integral backstepping control of a reconfigurable quadrotor with variable parameters’ estimation

“…Furthermore, they can negotiate narrow gaps, fly in crowded environments, inspect sensitive locations, and transport multiple objects without auxiliary manipulator's arms. 1 According to recent studies, [1][2][3] the reconfigurable multirotors can be divided as shown in Figure 1. In the paper, 4 a new reconfigurable quadcopter, which can change its mechanical structure, was presented.…”

“…Furthermore, they can negotiate narrow gaps, fly in crowded environments, inspect sensitive locations, and transport multiple objects without auxiliary manipulator’s arms. 1…”

“…According to recent studies, 1–3 the reconfigurable multirotors can be divided as shown in Figure 1. In the paper, 4 a new reconfigurable quadcopter, which can change its mechanical structure, was presented.…”

Nonlinear Robust Control of a New Reconfigurable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

“…During these last years, reconfigurable UAVs have occupied a prominent place in the domain of flying systems and robotics. These new drones can eliminate several problems encountered in the conventional UAVs such as, the flying in congested areas, building inspection, fixed mechanical structure, design complexity, energy consumption, fault tolerant control and obstacles avoidance [1][2][3][4][5]. They are a promising solution in the near future due to their shape characteristics.…”

“…They are a promising solution in the near future due to their shape characteristics. They allow increasing considerably the capabilities and performance of classical drones in terms of multi-functionalities using variable structure, geometric adaptation, surfaces inspection, energy consumption by exploiting the change of their morphology, maneuverability, obstacles avoidance and fault tolerant control using their high agility [5][6][7].…”