An Automated Quadcopter CAD based Design and Modeling Platform using Solidworks API and Smart Dynamic Assembly

Multirotors micro aerial vehicles (UAV) have become a standard platform in robotics and control research related to algorithmic development as well as design innovation. Custom-built designs based on open-source architecture and off-the-shelf components are attractive for researchers due to low cost and easy rapid prototyping. Hardware selection and integration is usually based on heuristics. Building a realistic quadcopter simulator requires accurate modeling and knowledge of its dynamics and the effect of each component on that. Often, moving from simulation to actual experiment is a challenging task due to the huge dynamical differences when working with the real system. The presented work aims to strengthen the bridge between simulations and actual system through an automated CAD based modeling software system that generates realistic models mathematically and visually for Matlab Simscape physics simulation and visualization utilizing Solidworks API, smart mating techniques and dynamical analysis. A proof of concept application with user friendly interface is built for Windows OS and the system components are further illustrated.