Close Proximity Rendezvous Simulation via Omnicopter

Abstract

This thesis explores the design and simulation of a control system that would enable omnicopter drones to simulate close proximity spacecraft rendezvous maneuvers. Close proximity rendezvous simulations typically exist either as simplified online models that lack real-world dynamics or as prohibitively expensive physical testbeds. By leveraging the six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) capability of omnicopters—drones with non-planar rotor configurations allowing complete spatial movement developed by Dario Brescianini and Raffaello D’Andrea—this research provides a cost-effective middle ground between purely digital and full-scale physical simulations. The study implements relative orbital motion using the Clohessy-Wiltshire equations to model the dynamics between a ”chief” and ”deputy” omnicopter, simulating target and approaching spacecraft respectively in close proximity operations. A cascaded control architecture that separately handles attitude and position control enables the simulated deputy omnicopter to approach and maintain specific poses relative to the chief within small distances, mirroring the final critical phase of spacecraft rendezvous. Using MATLAB, the research validates this control strategy through simulation, demonstrating its effectiveness for precise close proximity maneuvers. This work’s contributions lie in: (1) implementing close proximity orbital rendezvous control for omnicopters in simulation, (2) providing improved documentation of omnicopter capabilities to address gaps in publicly available resources, and (3) establishing a foundation for future physical implementation and testing. While physical deployment remains outside the scope of this thesis, the comprehensive modeling and simulation work presented here creates a viable pathway between theoretical spacecraft dynamics and accessible hardware implementation for future research in close proximity operations.