Abstract
This work is focused on the identification of a model based on experimental results for ground and ceiling effects for small scale quadrotors. Experiments are conducted using a fixed test bed and a force-torque sensor that measures the total thrust of a quadcopter when placed at different distances from horizontal surfaces. Two propeller sizes are considered at constant pressure and temperature conditions. Two different modelling approaches are proposed: an exponential parametric curve fitting method and a Gaussian Process regression method. Results are compared to ground effect models present in literature. We present a novel ground and ceiling parametric model in which the out-of-ground/out-ofceiling thrust is explicitly modelled. Moreover, an approach based on Gaussian process regression is explored, showing its potential for UAV applications.