Real-time wind vector estimation for a micro UAV

This paper presents an approach to estimate wind vector for a micro UAV by using only its inertial measurement unit in real-time. This method does not need additional sensors and dedicated anemometer, while just relying on the onboard inertial measurement unit to reserve the valuable payload for other onboard sensors. A smoothing filter is also designed based on the minimum summation of distance vector in order to reduce the effect of sensor noise. Simulation results prove the feasibility of the proposed real-time wind vector estimation approach.