SmartCopter

1
SmartCopter

• Group 3
• Alvilda Rolle
• Brian Williams
• Matthew Campbell
• Sponsor
• Rogers, Lovelock, and Fritz
• Architecture and Engineering
• University of Central Florida
• December 4, 2009

2
Introduction

• SmartCopter is a device that is mounted to the
  underside of a RC helicopter and records flight
  data. Such as acceleration, rotation, current
  heading, and current video. All while streaming
  video from the helicopter.
• Motivation
• To understand the dynamics of RC helicopter
  flight
• To create a starting point for autonomous designs

3
Goals

• To record flight data
• Acceleration in x, y, and z axis
• Rotation about the x, y, and z axis.
• Altitude
• Magnetic Heading
• To record video
• Overlay flight information in post-production
• If time permits

4
Helicopter Description

• ESKY BELT CP RC Helicopter
• Brushless motor
• Belt driven tail rotor
• More control
• Lower failure rate
• Capable of aerobatic flight

5
Helicopter Description
6
Helicopter Description

• Position Orientation
• Frame of reference
• Space Frame
• Body Frame
• Main Rotor Frame
• Pitch, roll, yaw
• Euler angles (shown on next page)

7
Helicopter Description
8
Helicopter Description

• Flight Surfaces
• Main Rotor
• Speed in RPMs
• Beta Angles or Pitch
• Collective Pitch
• Tail Rotor
• Pitch

9
Power Management

• Battery
• Lithium Polymer
• 11.1V 1800mAh 20C 3-Cell high capacitance Li-Po
  battery
• Advantages
• Quantity 2
• Replaces Lithium-Ion
• Power Supply
• Battery
• Speed controller regulates voltage supplied to
  motor
• Motor - functions as a converter of electrical
  energy to kenitc
• Motor Control
• Esky 450 3800KV brushless motor
• Advantages longer lifetime, higher efficiency
• No brushes

Kv     3800 RPM/V  
  No Load Current     2.0A  
  Resistance     -  
  Max Voltage     12V  
  Max Current     20A  
  Max Watts     220W  
  Weight     58 g / 2.04 oz  
  Size     27.7 mm x 30 mm  
  Shaft Diameter     2.3 mm  
  Poles     6  
10
Servos

• Standard vs. Digital
• Control flight device
• Uses error sensing feedback to provide correction
  
• Maintain position
• 3 wire control usage ground wire, signal wire,
  power wire
• Receives a series of pulses sent over a control
  wire that control the angle of the actuator arm
• Connected to linkage that connects to swashplate

11
Subsystem Design

• Flight Data System- Hardware

12
Accelerometers

• Used to measure acceleration forces
• Helps determine orientation
• Triple Axis Accelerometer ADXL 335
• Low noise and power consumption
• Polysilicon surface
• Mechanical sensors for X,Y, and Z axis
• Used with operating voltages above Vs 3V,
  single-supply operation 1.8V to 3.6V
• Low power 350 uA (typical)
• Great temperature stability, fully assembled
• Other possibilities Triple Axis Accelerometer
  Breakout SCA3000

13
Gyros

• Mechanical vs. Piezoelectric
• Pointed nose detection
• Gyro Breakout Board - IDG500 Dual 500 degree/sec
• Uses 2 sensor elements that sense the rate of
  rotation about the X and Y axis
• Heading Hold (HH) vs. Yaw Rate (YR)
• Noise filtering
• Other considerations IMU 5 Degrees of Freedom
  IDG500/ADXL335 vs. Gyro Breakout Board Triple
  Axis Accelerometer Breakout
• The Inertia Measurement Unit

14
Ultrasonic Range Finder

• Measure distances between moving and/or
  stationary objects
• Ping sensor
• Ultrasonic Range Finder - Maxbotix LV-EZ2
• Quantity 2
• ,
• Not specifically designed for outdoor use, but
  device can be mounted so that the sensor is
  protected from element exposure
• Automatic Calibration to Compensate for Changes
  in Temperature, Noise, Humidity, and Voltage

Type LV-MaxSonar-EZ2 XL-MaxSonar-EZ4 XL-MaxSonar-AE2 XL-MaxSonar-WR1 XL-MaxSonar-WRA1
Easy to use interface Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Has noise canceling Some Yes Yes Yes Yes
Outdoor use No No No Yes Yes
Automatic Calibration.. On power up only Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cost 30.00 55.00 55.00 105.00 105.00
15
GPS

• EM-406A
• SiRF Star III Chipset
• Accuracy of 5 meters
• 42 second average initialization time
• Updates every second
• TTL interface
• Formatted String output

16
GPS
17
Microcontroller

• Hardware
• PIC 18F4610
• 40-pin configuration
• 13 A/D channels
• 10 bit accuracy
• CCP and ECCP modules
• Support of 5 PWM channels
• Operating Frequency of up to 48MHz
• Enough Memory to fit SD Card Driver
• ICSP Programming ability

18
Microcontroller
19
Microcontroller

• More Hardware
• 64k of program memory
• 2k of data memory
• 256 bytes of EEPROM
• 75 Instructions
• 83 w/ Extended Instructions Enabled
• 20 Interrupt Sources

20
SD Card Interface

• SD Card Pin Out
• Chip Select
• DI
• GND
• VDD (3.3V)
• CLK
• GND

21
SD Card Interface

• Flight data stored onto SD Card to be read after
  the flight
• Includes time stamp so that video can be synced
  with data
• FAT32 file system
• SPI interface

22
Embedded Software

• C18 Programming Language

23
Embedded Software

• GPS Reader
• Does
• Updates GPS via serial communications
• Knows
• Current Location
• Previous Location
• Analog Reader
• Does
• Manages the A/D Converter
• Updates sensor data
• Knows
• Values from each A/D channel

24
Embedded Software

• Sensor Reader
• Does
• Initializes Readers
• Manages data from sources
• File Writer
• Does
• Writes flight data to SD card

25
Embedded Software

• Controller
• Does
• Initializes components
• Relays data to File Writer
• Manages timing between data updates and file
  writes
• Knows
• Current time
• Current state
• Init
• Waiting on Data
• Writing Data
• Close

26
Base Station Software

• Created using Java Media Framework
• GUI containing recorded flight video and data

27
Testing

• Financial burden
• Maintain structural integrity
• Timeline setback
• Crash could result in potential failure
• Must function on presentation day

28
Testing Procedures

• Flight Simulator
• Manual Flight Controls
• Hardware Connections
• Global Positioning System
• HeliCam
• Software

29
Flight Simulator

• Flight simulator testing will allow the team to
  learn the fundamentals of the helicopter flight
  controls.
• Crashing the actual helicopter is a must to
  avoid!
• Upon successful completion of the flight
  simulator, the team will fly the actual
  helicopter.

30
Hardware Connections

• Source Voltage ( Vdd )
• Ground ( Vss )
• 5/3.3 Voltage Regulator
• Accelerometer
• Gyrometer
• Ultrasonic Range Finder
• SiRF Star III Chipset
• SD Card Interface

31
Source Voltage ( Vdd )

• Test circuit board input voltage via splice from
  11.1V Lithium Polymer battery.

32
Voltage Regulator

• Need to regulate voltage from 5V to 3.3V for
  accelerometer, gyrometer, and SD card interface.

33
Accelerometer

• Input voltage needs to be 3.3V at pin 9 of
  breakout board.
• Continuity test for XOUT , YOUT , ZOUT outputs
  at pins 1, 2, and 3 of breakout board,
  respectively.

34
Gyrometer

• Input voltage needs to be 3.3V at pin 9 of
  breakout board.
• Continuity test for XRATE , YRATE outputs at
  pins 7 and 6 of breakout board, respectively.

35
Ultrasonic Range Finder

• Input voltage needs to be 5V at pin labeled 5
  
• Continuity test for analog output at pin labeled
  AN

36
SiRF Star III Chipset

• Input voltage needs to be 5V at pin 2 of SiRF
  Star III unit.
• Continuity test for RX and TX outputs at pins 3
  and 4 of SiRF Star III unit.

37
SD Card Interface

• Input voltage needs to be 3.3V at pins labeled
  CS, DI, VCC , CLK, DO, IRQ, P9
• Continuity test at pins labeled CD, WP

3.3V 3.3V 3.3V 3.3V
3.3V 3.3V 3.3V CONTINUITY CONTINUITY
38
Global Positioning System

• Test for accuracy by comparison with Blackberry
  Global Positioning System.

39
Helicam

• Plug transceiver into television to ensure proper
  function of wireless camera system prior to
  mounting.
• TV tuner card for wireless feed prior to mounting.

40
Software

• Testing done incrementally
• Sensors Tested
• GPS Tested
• SD Card Tested
• Final Testing
• Make sure everything works together

41
Testing Location

• Proper testing location
• Large area
• Minimal traffic
• Terrain composition
• Soft soil
• Grass
• Close proximity to
• two team members
• homes

42
Testing Accommodations

• Maximize productivity and efficiency on test
  days.
• Additional batteries
• Transceiver
• Helicopter
• Multimeter
• Close access to electricity, computer, and
  shelter in the event of unexpected weather.

43
Completed hardware
44
Base Station Software
45
Budget
Part Price per Unit () Quantity Total () Status
Esky Belt-CP 450 RC Helicopter 200.00 1 200.00
PIC 40 Pin 48MHz 16K 13 Channel A/D USB-18F4610 11.39 1 11.39
Ultrasonic Range Finder Maxbotix EZ2 27.95 2 55.90
Compass Module HMC 6352 59.95 0 59.95
Triple Axis Accelerometer Breakout ADXL 330 34.95 0 0.00
Gyro Breakout Board Dual 500 degree/sec 59.95 0 0.00
20 Channel EM 406A SiRF III Receiver with Antenna 59.95 1 59.95
2.4Ghz HeliCam 39.95 1 39.95
IMU 5 Degrees of Freedom 99.95 1 99.95
Heli-CaM Wireless Camera 59.95 1 59.95
Serial Cable DB9 M/F - 6 Foot 3.95 1 3.95
40 Pin PIC Development Board 15.95 1 15.95
650.00
46
Acknowledgments

• Dr. Richie
• Professors present
• Rogers, Lovelock, and Fritz Architecture and
  Engineering
• Team members