Dynamics and control of aerial manipulation
CME Department Seminar
February 20, 2026
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM America/Chicago
Presenter: Michael Beitelschmidt, PhD, TU Dresden, Germany
Location: ERF Room 1047
Abstract: The presentation "Dynamics and Control of Aerial Manipulation," explores advancements in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for aerial manipulation tasks. It highlights the evolution of UAVs as tools for complex physical interactions like grasping, transporting, machining, and assembly/disassembly in challenging or hazardous environments. The talk delves into the principles of UAV dynamics, including multicopter configurations, enabling technologies (e.g., MEMS sensors, lightweight materials, and 3D printing), and the physics of propeller-driven flight. A significant focus is on control architectures, such as Newton-Euler-based equations of motion, feedforward and feedback control for six degrees of freedom (6 DoF), and innovative wrench estimation techniques for contact-based tasks. The presentation emphasizes the transition from underactuated to fully actuated UAV platforms, showcasing their capacity for omnidirectional flight and precise force/torque application. Various state-of-the-art applications, such as aerial writing and screwing tasks, are demonstrated, requiring meticulous path planning, contact force control (via admittance filters), and tactile feedback systems. Through experiments, the benefits of full actuation, including improved maneuverability and task execution, are illustrated, albeit with trade-offs in efficiency and payload capacity.
Speaker Bio: Mechanical Engineering TU München 1987-1992, Diploma
PhD “Impacts in Multi-Body Systems”, 1992-1998 TU München
Department Head “Mechanical Systems”, Sulzer Innotec, Winterthur Switzerland 1998-2005
Full Professor “Vehicle Modelling and Simulation”, TU Dresden, 2005-2010
Full Professor “Dynamics and Mechanism Design”, TU Dresden, 2010-today
Research visit Autumn/Winter 2016 at UIC
Date posted
Feb 11, 2026
Date updated
Feb 11, 2026