Micro-CART Microprocessor-Controlled Aerial Robotics Team May 1, 2002 Team - Ongo03

Team Information Team Members Second Semester Eric Frana – Overall Team Leader Matt Devries Kirk Kolek – Flight Controls Leader Todd Welch – Communications Leader Loc Pham – System Requirements Leader Corey Lubahn Advisors Dr. John Lamont Prof. Ralph Patterson III First Semester Damian N. McGrane Kenny Nguyen-Pham Andrew Teoh Kelly Williams Thomas Scanlan Adam Horak Justin Barrick Raza Ali Client EE/CprE Department Funded by Lockheed Martin

Agenda Problem Statement Design Objectives End Product Assumptions/Limitations Risks Technical Approach –Flight Controls –Communications –System Requirements Financial and Human Budgets Lessons Learned Conclusion

Problem Statement - Background International Aerial Robotics Competition –Began in 1990 –Hosted annually by Georgia Institute of Technology –Autonomous aerial vehicles are to accomplish series of tasks in a given time –Tasks change and expand once completed (every 4 years) –Grand prize is $30,000

Problem Statement – Technical Problem Launch ISU into IARC competition Modify RC helicopter to function autonomously Create wireless base station link Implement image recognition system –Identify a beacon at 3km (  2 miles) –Identify a 1 square meter figure (target building) Ground vehicle sensor platform (deploy from air) Full integration among all components

Design Objectives Modified gas powered RC helicopter –Autonomous (PC/104 board for control) –Maximum lift: 8-12 lbs Sensors package – Sonar, GPS, Inertial Measuring Unit, Camera Autonomous ground vehicle (being researched) Ground station –Laptop PC –Wireless communications between ground and air –Display vital information Meets all criteria for IARC competition Fair weather operating environment Total project cost: ~$31,000

End Product Fully autonomous gas powered helicopter –Sensors package –Flight control algorithms Recognize targets and react appropriately Collect and transmit images to the ground station Ground vehicle Qualified to compete in IARC

Assumptions Competition criteria will not change radically in the near future Continue to receive necessary funding Suitable hardware available at affordable price Sensors will send information accurately and reliably Off-the-shelf image recognition software will be suitable

Limitations Helicopter payload (~8-12 lbs) Limited mounting space Power consumption Sensors accuracy (GPS, sonar) Lack of ME or Aero E team members High personnel turnover rate

Potential Risks Helicopter crash Major rules change invalidates large amounts of work Serious design flaws halt progress Money and funding runs out

Technical Approach Micro-CART is divided into subteams: –Flight Controls (Kirk Kolek) Flight algorithms, central processing –Communications (Todd Welch) Sensors, Communications: vehicle  ground –System Requirements (Loc Pham) Long range planning, hardware

Flight Controls Subteam Create onboard computation and control system for autonomous flight –Onboard computation of sensor data –Servo position control

Flight Controls Past Accomplishments –Purchase Servo Motor Control, began implementation –Researched microprocessors –Initial flight control development

Flight Controls Present Semester Goals and Status –Continue Research and Purchase microprocessor Goal 1: Determine necessary features (PC/104) –100% complete / successful Goal 2: Purchase –50% complete / marginally successful –Implement Servo-Motor Controller Goal 3: Develop software for servo-motor controller –100 % complete / successful

Flight Controls Present Semester Goals and Status (cont.) –Autonomous flight development Goal 4: Develop foundation and direction for flight control implementation –60% complete / marginally successful Goal 5: Design hardware interface switch to provide interface between human and computer control of helicopter. –25% complete / unsuccessful

Flight Controls Future Work –Next Semester: Finish design, build & implement hardware switch Develop control laws (diagrams) Integrate microprocessor into onboard embedded system Instrument helicopter by compiling sensor data and gain vital flight control coefficients –Long Term: Full development of flight control algorithms Integrated onboard computer

Communications Subteam Design and implement communications systems –Sensors to the PC/104 directly or through a microprocessor Current Sensor Components - Polaroid 6500 Ranging Module  Altitude & Proximity Future Sensor Components - Inertial Measuring Unit  Pitch, Yaw, Roll Acceleration, Direction - GPS  Global Positioning System - Wireless Modem  Base Station Communication - Camera  Image Capturing System

Communications Past Accomplishments –Purchased sensors Sonars Gyro Compass Accelerometer –PIC tutorial labs completed in SSOL –Initial assembly code developed for Sonar

Communications Present Semester Goals and Status –Sensor Requirements Goal 1: Determine specific sensors needs for autonomous flight –90% complete / successful Goal 2: Verify validity of previously purchased sensors –100% complete / successful

Communications Present Semester Goals and Status (Cont) –Testing Polaroid 6500 Sonar Goal 3: Test and improve current software –95% complete / successful Goal 4: Interface the sonar with PIC microprocessor –100% complete / successful

Communications Present Semester Goals and Status (Cont) –Flight Control Integration Goal 5: Integrate sonar program with flight control software –0% complete / unsuccessful Goal 6: Research and purchase Inertial Measuring Unit –75% complete / marginally successful

Communications Future Work –Next Semester: Integrate sensor package for instrumentation Research GPS unit Research wireless communication –Long Term: Image Recognition System Purchase GPS unit Integrate sensor package with Flight Control system

Systems Requirements Oversee and act as administrative source for team –Maintain long term Strategic Plan –Insure helicopter flightworthiness –Identify design limitations –Coordinate integration of all groups –Pilot training

Systems Requirements Past Accomplishments –Created team handbook –Created strategic plan –Completed inventory list to track equipment –Acquired flight simulator software –Helicopter repair

Systems Requirements Present Semester Goals and Status –Update the long term strategic plan Goal 1: Identify milestones to meet competition date 100% / successful –Pilot Training Program Goal 2: Train pilots to fly helicopter Ongoing / marginally successful

Systems Requirements Present Semester Goals and Status –Information book Goal 3: Create book containing information to support team Ongoing / successful – Security box Goal 4: Build a security box 75% complete / marginally successful

Systems Requirements Present Semester Goals and Status cont. –Ground vehicle research Goal 5: Research requirements for ground vehicle Official rules of the IARC website Type of ground vehicle (walking, wheel based, track, etc.) Determine necessary components to perform desired tasks Low priority (flight first, but consider ground vehicle)

Systems Requirements Future Work –Next Semester: Continue ground vehicle research Update Team Handbook Maintain helicopter Recruit AeroE and ME students –Long Term: Ensure team is completing needed goals to compete in IARC competition

Financial Budget

Human Budget Estimated(hrs) Actual(hrs) Eric Frana Kirk Kolek9990 Loc Pham8775 Matt Devries8379 Todd Welch8186 Corey Lubahn7072 Raza Ali7070 Justin Barrick Adam Horak8187 Damian McGrane Kenny Nguyen-Pham6980 Thomas Scanlan9586 Andrew Teoh8585 Kelly Williams9389

Lessons Learned Non Technical –If you need to do something, it may have been done before GPS, aerial cameras, servos, sonars, IMU –Right skills for the job are important –Investigation/research –Long range planning

Lessons Learned Technical –PIC programming –RC helicopter flight –Servo micro-controller programming –Hardware switch design –Helicopter maintenance

Summary Goal: Create autonomous aerial vehicle to compete in the IARC competition by Solution: Modify RC helicopter to fit needs, create ground vehicle, integrate with image recognition system.

Demonstrations & Questions