Defense Date
2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Electrical & Computer Engineering
First Advisor
Dr. Sherif Abdelwahed
Abstract
This thesis investigates the deployment and performance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within the Virginia Commonwealth University Open Cyber City (OCC) testbed. The study focuses on evaluating real-time indoor positioning performance using the Crazyflie drone platform. High-precision position measurements are obtained using the Vicon motion capture system, enabling analysis of the latency between the drone’s actual position and the system-reported position. In a closed-loop control system, the time difference between the position measurement and the application of the control command is called the system delay. Both stationary (hovering) and trajectory-following experiments are conducted to evaluate system performance. Communication delays in the closed-loop control system are quantified and analyzed. Results demonstrate that latency and synchronization errors significantly affect flight stability and trajectory accuracy. Experimental observations indicate that the delay, particularly during low-altitude indoor flights, causes overshoots and positioning errors. The findings highlight the importance of delay-aware control strategies and synchronization mechanisms for reliable UAV operation in smart city environments. This work provides a foundation for future research in multi-drone coordination, collision avoidance, and real-time decision-making systems.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
5-6-2026
Included in
Controls and Control Theory Commons, Electrical and Electronics Commons, Systems and Communications Commons