Modelling and simulation of a quad-rotor helicopter

Small size quad-rotor helicopters are often used due to the simplicity of their construction and maintenance, their ability to hover and also to take-off and land vertically. The first step in control development is an adequate dynamic system modelling, which should involve a faithful mathematical representation of the mechanical system. This paper presents a detailed dynamic analytical model of the quad-rotor helicopter using the linear Taylor series approximation method. The developed analytical model was simulated in the MatLab/Simulink environment and the dynamic behaviour of the quad-rotor assessed due to voltage changes. The model is further calibrated and linearized for use on any quad-rotor helicopter.