The Micro-CART project teaches students how to familiarize themselves with a project that they were not part of from conception to completion. Students must quickly become familiar with Micro-CART at its current state and determine how they can actively

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MICRO-CART
M i c r o p r o c e s s o r C o n t r o l l e d
A e r I a l R o b o t I c s T e a m
Abstract The Association for Unmanned Vehicle
Systems International (AUVSI) holds an
International Aerial Robotics Competition (IARC)
every July at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Collegiate
teams from around the world enter unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs) capable of autonomous flight into
this competition where specific mission
objectives must be met. The goal of the
Microprocessor-Controlled Aerial Robotics Team
(Micro-CART) is to enter a UAV into the entry
level of IARC by developing a fully-autonomous
helicopter. A secondary vehicle is also being
developed for later stages in the competition.
This will showcase the role of Iowa State in the
field of unmanned aerial robotics and provide
valuable design experience to Micro-CART team
members.

• Proposed Approach
• X-Cell 1005-1 gas helicopter as primary vehicle
• Quad-ducted fan platform as secondary vehicle
• On-board controller (PC/104) will provide sensor
  interfaces and processing
  resources for flight control software
• GPS unit and magnetic compass will provide data
  for navigation
• Inertial measurement unit (IMU) will provide
  helicopter dynamics
• Sonar arrays will provide data for object
  detection and avoidance

• Continued support from Iowa State University and
  Lockheed Martin
• Sensor System Will Provide All Necessary Flight
  Software Inputs
• Current helicopter airframe limitations (lift,
  weight, speed, fuel)
• Power considerations for on-board hardware
• Robust autonomous flight system modifiable for
  various missions
• Documentation covering all aspects of research
  and accomplished tasks

• Design and build a primary and secondary aerial
  vehicle capable of autonomous flight
• Develop an integrated system of sensors to
  control the aerial vehicles
• Enter entry level IARC, summer 2007
• Outside in fair weather conditions
• Maneuver within a 430-acre area
• Varied topography and a few man-made obstacles
• Micro-CART team members will use the vehicle to
  compete in the IARC
• Future uses in aerial surveillance, law
  enforcement reconnaissance

Estimated Cost for Fall 2006 (total expenses
2,100)
Estimated Personnel Hours/Category (2255 Total
Hours)
Primary Vehicle
Secondary Vehicle

• Design Objectives
• Develop an aerial vehicle to compete in entry
  level IARC
• Develop a secondary vehicle for higher level IARC
• Functional Requirements
• Hover via autonomous flight-control
• Self-navigation to global positioning
  
  system (GPS) waypoints
• Communication between both vehicles
• Design Constraints
• Size and weight considerations
• Cost minimization
• Low power consumption
• Measurable Milestones
• Autonomous flight-control software testing
• Sensor implementation and testing
• Communications and ground station development
• Test flight(s) hover, translational test flights

Closing Summary
The Micro-CART project teaches students how to
familiarize themselves with a project that they
were not part of from conception to completion.
Students must quickly become familiar with
Micro-CART at its current state and determine how
they can actively contribute to the team. This
experience is useful as many engineers may not
experience projects in the workplace that they
design, implement, test, and maintain.
Client
Hardware Subteam Erica Moyer (EE)(Leader) Bill
Hughes (EE) Hassan Javed (EE) Pankaj Makhija
(EE) Cristina Olivas (EE)(Communication
Coordinator)
Team Leaders Timothy Gruwell (CprE) Erica Moyer
(EE)
Ground Station Subteam Josh Robinson
(CprE)(Leader) Gustav Brandstrom (ME)
Secondary Vehicle Subteam Brett Pfeffer
(ME)(Co-Leader) Jeffrey Pries (ME)(Co-Leader) Byu
ng O Kang (EE) Patrick Turner (CprE)
Software Subteam Andrew Larson (CprE/EE)(Leader) B
rian Baumhover (CprE) Kito Berg Taylor
(AeroE) Bai Shen (CprE)
Funding Provided By
ONGO - 03
http//seniord.ece.iastate.edu/ongo03
Advisors Dr. John Lamont (EE/CprE) Prof. Ralph
Patterson, III (EE/CprE) Scott Morgan (Lockheed
Martin)