• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.707-714
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• 2016

This paper describes analysis results of vibration characteristics and modal test for a small-scale quad-rotor drone. The rotor arm has a slender body with a propeller and motor at its tip. Rotor system generates excitation for an unbalanced mass. Therefore, the drone platform is involved in the possibility of resonance. For advance identification of the possibility of resonance, confirmation of eigen-mode being closest to the propeller operation range is necessary. Material properties of CFRP tubes used for the rotor arm were acquired by finding the natural frequency based on Rayleigh method. A simplified quad-rotor FE model consisting of rotor arm assembly with tip mass was built to perform numerical analysis, and a free-free boundary condition was applied to provide flight status. Modal tests for the actual platform with impact hammer instrument were performed to verify analysis results. Separation margin from hazardous eigen-mode was checked on the propeller operation range.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2024

This paper presents a design approach for passive vibration control to reduce vertical vibrations transmitted to the control unit during hovering flight of a quadrotor drone. Ground vibration test simulation based on finite element model was performed for forced vibration analysis of the quadrotor drone. First, modal analysis was performed to evaluate dynamic characteristics. Forced vibration response analysis was then performed to obtain the steady-state response within the operating frequency range under the hovering flight condition. Furthermore, to obtain the vibration reduction effect, a viscous damping tape was applied at positions that could induce vibrations transmitted to the control unit under the same conditions. Such a passive vibration control approach was investigated. Relevant vibration reduction effect was assessed with respect to the application of damping materials and the attachment position.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2017

A new test bench for small multi-rotor type drones has been developed. Six degrees of freedom (DOF) motion is possible due to a ball bushing, wheels, and rotating plates. An FPGA (field programmable gate array) based controller, that supports realtime parallel processing, is used to measure attitude with an accelerometer and a gyro to adjust motor speed. Several tests were performed to check the operational properties of the test bench and the controller. The results show that this test bench is proper for verifying controllers and the control methods of small multi-rotor drones.