Hardware Design

Hardware in Context

The proposed system is an open-source experimental testbed designed to reproduce the angular dynamics of a multirotor aerial vehicle around a single rotational axis.

The platform consists of a rigid aluminium beam actuated by two opposed brushless motors, free to rotate about its center through low-friction bearings. By constraining motion to one degree of freedom (1-DOF), the system enables safe and controlled benchtop experiments while preserving the key challenges of sensing, actuation, and feedback control present in real aerial vehicles.

Single-axis testbeds are widely used in aerial robotics for education and early-stage validation. However, many existing implementations rely on custom-machined components or tightly integrated setups, which can limit reproducibility and accessibility.

In contrast, this platform is designed with:

• Standardized aluminium profiles
• Off-the-shelf propulsion components
• Fully open electronics and firmware

This results in a system that is low-cost, reproducible, and easily adaptable for academic and research environments.

Hardware Overview

The system is built around a modular aluminium structure supporting a freely rotating beam driven by two motor–propeller units.

Key characteristics include:

• Modular mechanical design
• Adjustable geometry and mass distribution
• Open embedded control (STM32-based)
• External power supply for repeatable experiments
• Integrated sensing for angle, motor rpm and environmental conditions

The platform allows full access to low-level control, enabling experiments with different control strategies, communication protocols, and sensing configurations.

Applications

This hardware supports a wide range of use cases:

• Validation of control strategies for aerial systems
• Propulsion and actuator characterization
• Sensor testing and calibration
• Hardware-in-the-loop experimentation
• Teaching control systems and flight dynamics

The constrained motion improves safety and repeatability while still capturing relevant nonlinearities of real propulsion systems.

Design Files

All mechanical and electronic design files are openly available:

👉 Access design files on Zenodo

Included files

Mechanical (CAD):

• Structural aluminium profile
• Full system assembly
• Motor model
• Shaft and bearing components

Electronics (schematics):

• Hall effect sensor
• Potentiometer sensing circuit
• Power supply
• Weather station

PCBs:

• Hall sensor board
• Potentiometer board
• Power supply board
• Weather station board

All files are provided in open formats and can be modified or extended as needed.