The truth about GA Tech

What U can gleam from the GATech paper is that the neural network does not directly control the copter. It's added to the output of a reference model + the output of PD equations to produce pseudo control vectors. The pseudo controls are next reduced into even simpler controls by an inverted approximate model.

The use of a reference model is a technique called Model Reference Adaptive Control. Through some voodoo math, the output of the reference model helps tune the PD output. The neural network contribution is next applied to cancel flaws in the inverted approximate model.

outer loop
------------------
commanded velocity -> PD outputs + reference model corrections - NN corrections -> commanded acceleration (pseudo control)

commanded acceleration -> approximate inversion -> commanded attitude + angular rates

inner loop
-----------------
commanded attitude + angular rates -> PD outputs + reference model corrections - NN corrections -> commanded angular acceleration (pseudo control)

commanded angular acceleration -> approximate inversion -> servo commands

That's the heart of adaptiveflight.com's product. Hardly the biologically inspired system U envisioned.

Research seems to have peaked with this paper. His focus has gone more sideways rather than building on top of the adaptive paper. Using video instead of IMU input. Using hypersonic vehicles instead of copters.