The main work during the last period was devoted to dissemination (writing a journal paper on a new control scheme we developed and submitted to IEEE Transactions on Mechatronics). Parallel to writing the papers, we started designing a framework for haptic teleoperation of the Skybotix Flybox UAV. The scheme enables to safely operate a wide range of VTOL UAVs by an untrained user in a cluttered environment. In this scheme, the user operates the UAV through the use of a haptic joystick. This scheme includes a novel force-feedback algorithm that enables the user to feel the texture of the environment using a force-feedback joystick. In addition, a novel mapping function is introduced to teleoperate the UAV in an unlimited workspace in position control mode with a joystick which has a limited workspace. An obstacle avoidance strategy is designed to autonomously modify the position set point of the UAV independently of the pilot's commands.
A video that is showing the experimental results of the obstacle avoidance algorithm can be seen at the following link: http://www.i3s.unice.fr/~ducard/UAVProjects.GB.html.

We will develop a novel user interface for aerial robotic systems to enable the operation of a UAV by untrained pilots in industrial or constrained environments. A force feedback joystick actuator will be used to provide the operator with a haptic control interface for the system. This will allow the operator to feel disturbances such as wind gusts and resistance to motion in the direction of obstacles. Various modes of operation will provide partitioned teleoperational/autonomous control to aid the user for tasks such as visual fixation on a target (maintain a target in view), follow walls, floors, return to base, etc. The teleoperation control will also be augmented with obstacle avoidance algorithms, emergency procedures and strategies for loss of communications.