Title: July 16, 2001
1July 16, 2001
2Team Information
Designation Ongo-03
Members
- Summer Semester
- Chad Winterhof
- Eugene Koob
- Fall Semester
- Scott Dang
- Bernard Lwakabamba
- Stephen Smith
- Nathan Ellefson
Advisors Dr. J. Lamont, Prof. R. Patterson,
Dr. Rajagopalan, Dr. J. Basart
Client Space Systems Operational Lab
(SSOL) Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering
3Agenda
- Problem Statement General Background
- Project Assumptions and Limitations
- Design Objectives/Constraints
- End-product Description
- Risk and Risk Management
- Technical Approach
- Evaluation of Success
- Future Work
- Financial and Human Budgets
- Lessons Learned
- Summary
4General Background
IARC (International Aerial Robotics Competition)
- Annual competition started in 1990
- Sponsored by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle
Systems International - University teams build autonomous aerial vehicles
that must complete predetermined tasks - Tasks change every 4 to 5 years
- The team completing the most tasks in the least
amount of time wins
5Problem Statement
- Build ISUs first entry in IARC competition
- Complete the requirements for the competition
- Modify an R/C helicopter for autonomous flight
- Establish a communication link between the
helicopter and a ground-based PC station
6End-product Description
- Fully autonomous gas powered helicopter that uses
GPS and other sensors to navigate - The ability to transmit analog image signals to a
ground station - Ground station able to recognize symbols via
image recognition software - Able to enter the IARC
7Assumptions
- Funding will be available for the completion of
the project - Suitable hardware will be available to complete
the project - Our design will successfully control the flight
of the helicopter used in the project - The sensors chosen for the helicopter will work
with the control system to control the helicopter
and successfully identify ground markings
8Limitations
- The payload carrying capacity of the helicopter
- Flight time of the helicopter without refueling
- Accuracy of the GPS system
- Range of the imaging hardware
- Range and accuracy of the data transmission
equipment - Available funding
- Limited mounting surface
- Power consumption
9Potential Risks
- Serious design flaw that halts the development of
the aircraft - Helicopter crashes and needs repair
- Our funding runs out before the project is
finished - Time constraints, rule changes
10Current Semester Approach
- Focus on sensors
- Compass
- Sonar
- 2. Need for Helicopter Repair
- 3. Flight Training
11Technical Approach
Control Subsystem
- We are planning to use a PC/104 control board as
the on-board computer to control the helicopter. - This controller will be interfaced with the
sensors and telemetry. - It will take data from the sensors and process it
so that it can make flight control decisions. - The control subsystem will reside in the software
of the onboard computer.
12Technical Approach
Control Subsystem
Autopilot
Servos
Helicopter Reaction
AFCS Inner Loop
AFCS Outer Loop
Figure 1. Simple block diagram showing control
system interaction with helicopter
13Technical Approach
Control Subsystem
Desired Position
Model Helicopter
Logic
Position
Sensors
14Technical Approach
Sensors Subsystem
Sensor System
SLAVE (PIC)
- Performs A/D conversions if necessary
- Performs segmentation of data
- Controls operation of servos
ONBOARD COMPUTER
- Polls the SLAVE(s) in a predefined order
- Packages sensor data and sends to the telemetry
subsystem
15Technical Approach
Sensors Subsystem
Current Sensor Components
- Polaroid 6500 Ranging Module (2) ? Altitude
Proximity - Accelerometers (2) ?
Acceleration - Gyroscopes (2)
? Pitch, Yaw, Roll - Digital Compass
? Direction
Future Sensor Components
- GPS
? Global Coordinate - Imaging System ? Image
Recognition
16Technical Approach
Information Transfer and Processing
- -Telemetry Unit-
- It will interface with the on-board computer.
- This subsystem will relay flight and mapping
information to the PC based ground station for
processing. - -PC Based Ground Station-
- The ground station will receive and log sensor
data from the telemetry system on the helicopter.
- It will also do image recognition on the image
relayed from the helicopters on-board video
camera. - We have chosen a Dell 500 MHz PC for this job.
17Evaluation of Success
- Past accomplishments
- Built and tested helicopter
- Designed compass circuit
- Created sonar software
- Acquired ground station
- Acquired flight simulator
18Evaluation of Success
- Spring 01 Accomplishments
- Learned to program PICs
- Designed basic control algorithm
- Created new strategic plan
- Designed communications for onboard components
- Created interfaces between sensors and PICS
-
19Evaluation of Success
- Current semester accomplishments
- Established contact for Flight Trainer
- Helicopter evaluation
- Sonar
- Compass
20Future Work
- Future Milestones
- Test hardware limitations
- Finish development on control/communication
software - Learn to fly helicopter manually (ongoing)
- Start assembling hardware to mount onto the
helicopter - Re-build the helicopter
21Expected Financial Budget
Only extra helicopter parts and a new instruction
manual were purchased for 40.94. Projected
costs were 160 for parts and labor for
helicopter repair. Table 1 indicates an
estimated budget for Micro-CART for the duration
of the project.
Poster/website 50
PIC/process 900
Interfaces 100
GPS System 2000
Telemetry unit 1000
Camera/Image Recognition 2500
Entry Fee 1000
Parts and Instruction Manual 41
Miscellaneous 350
Total Expenditures 7941
22Human Budget
23Lessons Learned
- Team work
- Meet regularly
- Interpersonal communications
- Thoroughly document work done
- Know the project requirements
- Work always takes longer than planned
- RISC architecture can be confusing
- Advantages and disadvantages of Stamps
- Double check contacts
- Follow Directions!
24Summary
Goal Build autonomous vehicle for entry in IARC
competition by 2003 Proposed Solution Modify
a gas-powered remote controlled helicopter for
autonomous flight Current Status 1.
Helicopter needs to be re-built 2. Sensor
subsystem in the implementation phase 3.
Control system entering design phase
25Questions ?