Control and Aerodynamic Analysis of Quadcopters in Confined Spaces

A micro scale quadcopter is a type of aerial robot with the potential to assist humans with various operations in hazardous confined environments, such as mining tunnels. This thesis investigates the aerodynamic disturbances associated with flying quadcopters in tunnel environments. Taking this information into account, a semi-autonomous control system is designed for navigation in confined tunnels. This allows operators without any piloting skills to utilise the quadcopter system to perform tasks in these hazardous confined environments, which reduces the risks for humans, and the cost and time for these operations.