Using a delta-manipulator for stabilisation of an
end-effector to perform precise spatial positioning is a current
area of interest in aerial manipulation. High speed precision
movements of a manipulator can cause disturbances to the
aerial platform, which hinders trajectory tracking and in some
cases could be sufficient to cause a loss of control of the vehicle.
In this paper, a statically balanced delta aerial manipulator is
developed and evaluated. The system is balanced using three
counter-masses to reduce the force imparted onto the base and
thus reduce perturbations to the movement of the drone. The
system is thoroughly tested following trajectories while mounted
to a force sensor and while on-board an aerial vehicle. Results
show that the forces transmitted to the base in all axes are
reduced considerably, however improvements in overall flight
accuracy are not observed in aerial settings. Design lessons
to make a balanced delta-manipulator viable for practical
implementation on an aerial vehicle are discussed in depth.
A video summarising the flight testing results is available at
https://youtu.be/fXKnosnVKCk.