UAV Aerial Imagery & Autopilot Integration Arick Reed - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

UAV Aerial Imagery & Autopilot Integration

Arick Reed Abraham-ME Spencer Hanson - ME Tim Fratangelo - CE Alex Klymkow - EE Aaron Wilbee - EE

Agenda

• Project Background
• Desired State
• Obstacles
• Project Plan

Team

Name Role Picture Arick Reed Abraham ME / Coordinator Spencer Hanson ME Tim Fratangelo CE Alex Klymkow EE Aaron Wilbee EE

Team

Project Background

• Imaging Science Department needs to take aerial Images

○ Currently done with full-scale aircraft ○ High cost, infrequent flights

• UAVs significantly reduce operational costs and pilot risk

○ Proper configuration for successful operation by less- experienced users ○ Easy to source replacement parts

Previous Projects

• P13231

○ UAV Wireless Communication and Control

• P11562

○ Modular Imaging System Frame and Stabilization

• P11232

○ UAV Airframe C.1

• P11231

○ UAV Image Integration and Performance

• P10661

○ Image Calibration Device

• P10236

○ Configurable control platform

• P10232

○ UAV Airframe C

• P10231

○ UAV Telemetry

• P09561

○ Visible Spectrum Imaging System

• P09233

○ Airframe Measurement and Aircraft Controls

• P09232

○ UAV Airframe B

• P09231

○ UAV Airframe A

Current State

• Imaging Science still using hired aircraft for aerial photography.
• Previous efforts have produced discrete systems.
• Airborne imaging system previously developed, likely antiquated.
• Existing payload-bearing aircraft requires more testing.

No fully integrated UAV imaging platform exists

Desired State

• Full integration between airframe, autopilot, and imaging systems.
• A UAV capable of autonomous waypoint-directed flight.
• Integrated imaging system capable of taking and saving photos
• Real-time control through the ground station.
• On-demand transfer of control to a human pilot.

Stakeholders

• Dr. Jason Kolodziej
• RIT Imaging Science Department
• MSD Team
• Innocent Bystanders

Priority Maximum Energy Output Aircraft Powerplant Sufficient Stability Functional Autopilot Functional Communication Link Camera Module 1 Autopilot follow Dynamically updating Waypoints 9 x 2 FAA Compliance 9 x x 3 Meaningful Mission Time 9 x x 4 GPS Triggered Image Capture 9 x x 5 Functional Aircraft 9 x x x 6 Ground Station Update Waypoints 3 x 7 Receive Telemetry and display 3 x 8 Ground Station Image Capture 3 x 9 Record Inertial Position 3 x 10 Modular Camera Mount 3 x Measure KWH KW BFT BFT BFT BFT

House of Quality

Objectives

• Stable reusable aircraft
• Control strategy/algorithms
• Interchangeable camera equipment
• Accurate information recording

Deliverables

• Functional autonomous small (test) aircraft
• Functional payload bearing (X-4) aircraft with:

○ Integrated autopilot ○ Integrated imaging hardware payload

• Ground station software
• Autopilot software
• Image capture software

Assumptions

• The team has adequate ability to complete the project.
• Previous projects are functional but require testing
• Budget $1000
• Replacement of camera equipment

Risks

• Any flight failure will probably require at least some aircraft repair,

taking multiple days.

• Pilot availability: There are no pilots on the team skilled enough to

fly the large aircraft for testing.

• Communication failure for manual control
• Safety of fragile parts (camera, micro controller)
• Part replacement lead time.

Benchmarking

• Precedence with ArduPilot™, popular with amateurs
• Previous Senior Design team successes/failures
• Existing technology and expertise from model aviation
• Comparison to professional technology neither practical nor

possible.

Next Steps

• Prepare the small (test) airframe
• Confirm the state of the imaging equipment
• Determine specifications for next iteration of imaging equipment
• Validate design of the UAV X-4’s control surfaces against

theoretical models

Questions