Emergent Synchronization of Tethered Drones (Track 1)

BSc assignment

Project Overview

Can a team of tethered drones, acting as "flying metronomes," naturally synchronize their motion simply through physical interaction and energy dissipation? This project investigates the fascinating intersection of multi-robot systems, tethered aerial mechanics, and nonlinear synchronization phenomena.

The goal is to move away from rigid, time-dependent trajectories and instead develop a "Path Following" framework where drones can shift their relative phases to find an energy-efficient equilibrium—effectively keeping a shared load stable through emergent behavior.

Project Tracks (Modular Assignment)

Depending on the scope of the specific thesis, the work will focus on one of the following tracks. Both tracks contribute to the overarching goal of understanding the "Flying Metronome" effect.

Track I: Control Architecture & Modeling (The Foundation)

Focus: How do we build a "Flying Metronome"?

  • Modeling: Derive the dynamical equations for a system of drones (point masses) connected via elastic cables to a rigid-body load.

  • Control Design: Implement an orthogonal force decomposition ( vs ).

  • The Goal: Develop a controller that enforces the geometry of the path (PD control) while allowing the drone to "breathe" or change speed along the path (velocity-only control).

  • Deliverable: A functional MATLAB simulation environment where drones follow paths without being in sync with a clock.

Track II: Synchronisation & Stability Analysis (The Emergence)

Focus: Why and when do they synchronise?

  • Conjecture Testing: Define mathematical criteria for synchronisation (e.g., phase-locking to minimise load oscillation).

  • Simulation Campaign: Run extensive sensitivity analyses on initial conditions, cable stiffness, and damping coefficients.

  • Theoretical Induction: Use Passivity Theory or Lyapunov Stability to explain why the system converges to specific phase differences.

  • Deliverable: A comprehensive report validating (or invalidating) the hypothesis of emergent synchronisation through energy dissipation.

Technical Roadmap

  1. Literature Review: Study the foundations of tethered aerial formation flight.

  2. Simulation: Utilise and extend a custom MATLAB/Simulink simulator.

  3. Controller Implementation: Transition from time-based tracking to geometry-based path following.

  4. Experimental Validation (Optional): Deploy successful algorithms on the Crazyflie nano-quadcopter platform in the lab.