Control Allocation and Controller Tuning for an Over-Actuated Hexacopter Tilt-Rotor Applied for Precision Agriculture

This work presents the control allocation and tuning methodology for an over-actuated Hexacopter Tilt-Rotor (HTR) designed for precision agriculture applications. The HTR's innovative design includes two independently tiltable rotors, enhancing stability and forward velocity, making it suitable for low-altitude maneuvers in agricultural environments. The study focuses on the implementation of a cascade Proportional (P)-Proportional, Integral and Derivative (PID) control structure with Successive Loop Closure (SLC) and the application of an extended Fast Control Allocation (FCA) method to optimize actuator performance. The control gains were meticulously tuned to ensure stability and robustness across six degrees of freedom, achieving precise trajectory tracking and efficient resource use. Validation was conducted through simulations using Robot Operating System (ROS) and Gazebo, replicating realistic precision agriculture scenarios. Results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed control strategies, highlighting their potential for real-world applications in crop monitoring, pest detection, and resource optimization. Future work includes physical implementation and integration with collaborative robotics.