Autonomous Navigation of an Indoor Blimp Stuart Wehrly ECE-499 Advisor: Professor Spinelli

Goals Design an autonomous blimp that can: Design an autonomous blimp that can: Move from point A to point B vertically Move from point A to point B vertically Move from point A to point B in 3-dimension space Move from point A to point B in 3-dimension space

Block Diagram Sensors ControlActuators

Performance Criteria Choose a blimp applicable to application Choose a blimp applicable to application Total weight of all components must be less than 7 ounces Total weight of all components must be less than 7 ounces Autonomous control Autonomous control

Sensors and Control Rangefinder Rangefinder 3-Axis Accelerometer 3-Axis Accelerometer Basic Stamp II Basic Stamp II Front View Side View Motor Rangefinder Circuit board containing microcontroller and ADC Gondola

One-Dimensional Algorithm Main: If current Z-coordinate != destination Z-coordinate If Z-coordinate < destination Z-coordinate Drive motors to push blimp up GoTo Main Else Drive motors to pull blimp down GoTo Main Else

3-Dimensional Algorithm Main: If current position != destination If current Z-coordinate != destination Z-coordinate Drive motors to move blimp to destination Z-coordinate If current (X,Y) != destination (X,Y) * Drive motors to move blimp to destination (X,Y) GoTo Main Else Else *Once Z-coordinate is set, distance from floor is polled periodically to maintain height from floor

Design 3-Axis Accelerometer Blimp Motors Rangefinder Basic Stamp II Clock Analog to Digital Converter

Results It flies! It flies! Accurate control of blimp over Z-Axis Accurate control of blimp over Z-Axis Hardware implemented for 3-Axis Hardware implemented for 3-Axis

Conclusion What I learned What I learned System Design and Implementation System Design and Implementation Control Systems Control Systems Servo Control Servo Control

Future Work Write software to calculate position using acceleration Write software to calculate position using acceleration Move from point A to point B in free space Move from point A to point B in free space

Thank You Professor Spinelli Professor Hedrick Professor Krouglicof Chemistry Department Athletics Department Gene Davidson

Questions