Vision Based Tracking for a Quadrotor Using Vanishing Points

In this paper, a vision based line tracking control strategy for mini-rotorcraft is presented. In order to estimate the 3-D position of the mini-rotorcraft over the trajectory a vanishing points technique is used. A dynamic model is derived employing the Newton-Euler approach and a nonlinear controller to stabilize, in closed-loop system, this mathematical model is proposed. To validate the theoretical results, a real-time embedded control system has been developed. The performance of the vision and control algorithms has been tested when the helicopter has tracked a line painted in a wall. The experimental results have shown the good behavior of the control laws.