Contact-Aware Incremental Model Predictive Control for an Underactuated Aerial Manipulator

Abstract

We develop a controller that lets an underactuated quadrotor with a rigid one-joint arm write on surfaces while maintaining tool position and contact force. Nonlinear model predictive control plans the contact motion, and whole-body incremental nonlinear dynamic inversion compensates for disturbances. Simulations and flight experiments test writing on vertical and tilted surfaces under varying friction, force targets, and wind. The system tracks five end-effector pose coordinates alongside contact force using a simple aerial manipulator without a force/torque sensor.