Summary

This chapter featured information about flying robots that are described as quadrotors or quadcopters because of their four propellers. The first few sections of the chapter described quadrotors and their flying characteristics, as well as the sensors that they might have. Sensors such as magnetometers, gyroscopes, and accelerometers were discussed with the aim of explaining how they allow quadrotors to stabilize themselves in the air. Other accessories such as cameras and GPS units were also covered.

The rules for flying safely were presented. These are basically common-sense rules, such as do not fly over people or pets. Government agencies, such as the FAA in the United States, govern the use of airspace and those rules should be followed carefully.

The Hector simulator is excellent, particularly for new pilots of quadrotors, in that a quadrotor can be flown in simulation without any danger of real crashes. Details of downloading the Hector software were covered in this chapter...