Performance investigation of passive camera vibration damper in hybrid VTOL UAVs: Ground and flight tests

Abstract

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for aerial mapping missions requires both visual stability and camera system reliability. One of the major challenges arises from mechanical vibrations generated by motors, propellers, and aerodynamic disturbances, which can significantly degrade image quality. A practical solution widely applied in UAV systems is the integration of passive vibration dampers on camera mounts. However, despite their widespread use, limited studies have experimentally validated their effectiveness, particularly on hybrid VTOL UAV platforms. To address this, the present study evaluates the performance of a passive camera damper installed on the LSU-02 NGLD VTOL, a nationally developed hybrid UAV for aerial mapping missions. Experimental validation was carried out in two stages: laboratory vibration testing using a shaker and flight testing during an autonomous aerial mapping mission. The findings demonstrate that the damper performed optimally, reducing vibration amplitudes by more than 95% during the cruise phase and ensuring stable images free from distortion and motion blur. These results provide experimental evidence that passive camera dampers are highly effective in supporting UAV-based aerial mapping missions and highlight their role as a lightweight, simple, and reliable solution for maintaining visual data quality.