Accelerate the development of drone motor control
To simplify the development of motor drives, many manufacturers offer a variety of evaluation kits. Control algorithms are typically provided free of charge, such as field oriented control (FOC) using Hall sensors or back EMF measurements to detect rotor position. These kits provide examples of software that help engineers get a start on application development, enabling them to develop a wide range of motors quickly and smoothly.
However, even with these kits, engineers still need to master the expertise of designing motors to accurately control speed and torque. The challenge is to set up the software for a particular motor and then fine-tune the parameters to optimize the response to speed and torque commands. The engineer needs to calculate the constant pressure (Ke), friction coefficient and moment of inertia of the motor. If the controller relies on back EMF measurements, sensorless state observation and speed adjustment are required. Recently, suppliers such as TI and STMicroelectronics have successfully simplified the characterization and tuning of motors, so developers can drive motors without having to know the motor characteristics beforehand. The plans of the two manufacturers are slightly different.
ST creates recognition and tuning functions in the MC Workbench Motor Control Development Environment (Figure 2). The motor analyzer automatically detects motor parameters through static open-loop and closed-loop tests, which can be completed in just a few seconds. Other power stage, drive and control level parameters are entered via the MC Workbench GUI. The project is then generated and compiled, allowing the motor to start rotating and controlled. At this time, the one-touch tuning function of the MC workbench can be adjusted directly and simply to ensure smooth speed and torque control.
to sum up
Precision agriculture also presents another exciting opportunity for drone technology. It is imperative to optimize production in an efficient and economical way, which will promote the industry to flourish. Using software to streamline flight programming and analyze acquired data and quickly create a stable, controllable body with existing motor control expertise is the key to success.
