End-effector force estimation method for an unmanned aerial manipulator

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed description of the end-effector force estimation of a robotic manipulator attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle. In order to estimate the force, it is assumed that there is a link between the force acting on the end-effector and the change of the torques in the joints of the manipulator in relation to the unloaded manipulator. This link was presented with Newton-Euler’s dynamic model and the Jacobian matrix of the manipulator. The force estimation was tested and validated on several experiments of a manipulator mounted on the aerial vehicle.