ProVANT Simulator: A Virtual Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Platform for Control System Development
This paper introduces the ProVANT Simulator, a comprehensive environment for developing and validating control algorithms for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Built on the Gazebo physics engine and integrated with the Robot Operating System (ROS), it enables reliable Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing. Addressing key challenges such as modeling complex multi-body dynamics, simulating disturbances, and supporting real-time implementation, the framework features a modular architecture, an intuitive graphical interface, and versatile capabilities for modeling, control, and hardware validation. Case studies demonstrate its effectiveness across various UAV configurations, including quadrotors, tilt-rotors, and unmanned aerial manipulators, highlighting its applications in aggressive maneuvers, load transportation, and trajectory tracking under disturbances. Serving both academic research and industrial development, the ProVANT Simulator reduces prototyping costs, development time, and associated risks.
Authors
- Brenner S. Rego (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5889-7602)
- Jean C. Pereira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7217-8145)
- Daniel N. Cardoso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4655-1524)
- Leandro Buss Becker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1872-4771)
- Jonatan M. Campos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7369-7843)
- Sergio Esteban (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3869-4218)
- Guilherme V. Raffo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1835-8380)
- D. L. Santiago
- Marcelo A. Santos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7578-2217)
- Júnio Eduardo de Morais (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1731-8448)
- Iuro B. P. Nascimento (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3841-0422)
- Richard Andrade (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1618-7191)
Institutions
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (BR)
- University of Bergamo (IT)
- Universidade Federal de São Carlos (BR)
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (BR)
- Federal Center for Technological Education of Minas Gerais (BR)
- Universidad de Sevilla (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Aerospace
- Published
- 2025-08-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12090762
- Primary Topic
- Robotic Path Planning Algorithms
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais