Transcript Document
Micro-CART Micro-Controlled Aerial Robotics Team
December 13, 2001
Team Information
Designation – Ongo 3 Team Members Second Semester • Nathan Ellefson • Scott Dang • Steve Smith • Bernard Lwakabamba
Advisors
• Prof. John Lamont • Prof. Ralph Patterson III • Prof. Ganesh Rajagopalan First Semester • Kirk Kolek • Eric Frana • Loc Pham • Corey Lubahn • Todd Welch • Matt Devries
Client
EE/CprE Department
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
– Held by Georgia Tech annually – Started in 1990 – Autonomous aerial vehicles – Accomplish series of tasks in least amount of time – Tasks change and expand once completed (every 4 to 5 years)
Problem Statement – Technical Problem
• ISU’s first entry into IARC competition • Modify RC helicopter to function autonomously – 1 hour to complete tasks • Create wireless base station link • Image recognition system that can: – Identify a beacon at ~ 3km – Identify a 1 square meter figure (target building) • Ground vehicle sensor platform (deploy from air) • Full integration among all components
Design Objectives
• Gas powered, modified RC helicopter (X-cell #1005) – Autonomous (PC/104 board for control) – Dimensions: 54”x17.5”x6” – Unit weight: 11.75 lbs – Maximum lift: 6-10 lbs – Total project cost: ~$10,000 • Sensors package – Sonar, GPS, Compass, Gyros, Accelerometer • Autonomous ground vehicle (specs not set) • Ground station – Dell 500Mhz PC – Image recognition software – Wireless communications between ground and air • Meets all criteria for IARC competition • Fair weather operating environment
End Product
• Fully autonomous gas powered helicopter – Sensors package – Flight control algorithms • Collect and transmit digital images to the ground station • Recognize targets and react appropriately • Ground vehicle sensor platform • Qualified to compete in IARC
Assumptions
• Suitable hardware available at affordable price • Helicopter can be controlled by a CPU • Sensors will send information accurately and reliably • Off-the-shelf image recognition software will be suitable • Wireless technology exists to allow for transmission of video • Enough funding • The competition criteria will not change radically in the near future
Limitations
• Helicopter payload (~6-10 lbs depending on variables) • Aerodynamic issues • Helicopter flight time (depends on variables) • Sensors accuracy (GPS, sonar) • Range, resolution and accuracy of image recognition • Power consumption • Limited mounting space • Funding dependent on outside donors • Lack of previously skilled RC helicopter pilot • Lack of ME or Aero E members • High personnel turnover rate
Potential Risks
• Major rules change invalidates large amounts of work • Helicopter crash • Serious design flaw halts progress • Money and funding runs out
Technical Approach
Micro-CART has been divided into subteams: – Flight Controls (Scott Dang) • Flight algorithms, central processing – Communications (Steve Smith) • Sensors, Communications: vehicle ground – System Requirements (Bernard Lwakabamba) • Long range planning, hardware
Flight Controls Subteam
• Create software helicopter model • Create software that will allow the helicopter to maintain stable flight – Responsible for: • Control algorithm that will work reliably if there are hardware failures
Flight Controls
PIC Final Autonomous Flight In Air Sensor Helicopter Servos PC/104 Micro-computer Interface Helicopter Transceiver Ground Transceiver Ground PC On Ground Human Remote Transmitter
Flight Controls
• Past Accomplishments – Model of the helicopter written in MatLab – Researched specific PC/104 – Written C++ code that reads data from serial ports
Flight Controls
• Present Semester Goals and Status – Design communication flow hardware • Goal 1: Design the communication between servo-motor controller and servo – 100 % complete – Research helicopter servos • Goal 2: Determine what is necessary to control the servos – 100% complete
Flight Controls
• Present Semester Goals and Status – Write code to test controls of servos • Goal 3: Use the servo micro-controller to test whether the code is able to communicate successfully with servos – 100% complete
Flight Controls
• Future Work – Next Semester: • Begin developing control algorithms for servo program • Code to communicate between PC104 and servos – Long Term: • A working PC/104 board • Have the servo micro-controller and various sensors integrated with PC/104 board
Communications Subteam
• Design and implement communications systems – Sensors to microprocessor – Microprocessor to ground station (Wireless) • Current Sensor Components - Polaroid 6500 Ranging Module - Digital Compass - Accelerometers - Gyroscopes Altitude & Proximity Direction Acceleration Pitch, Yaw, Roll • Future Sensor Components - GPS - Imaging System Global Coordinate Image Recognition
Communications
Communications
• Past Accomplishments – Purchased sensors – PIC tutorial labs completed in SSOL – Initial assembly code developed for Sonar
Communications
• Present Semester Goals and Status – PIC introduction • Goal 1: Introduce 1st semester students to PIC programmer – 100% complete – Sonar sensors • Goal 2: Continue debugging Sonar code – 85% complete
Communications
• Present Semester Goals and Status – Compass sensor • Goal 3: Debug and test Compass Code – 70% complete – Interfacing sensors with PC/104 • Goal 4: Research components which are compatible – 65% complete
Communications
• Future Work – Next Semester: • Finish debugging Sonar and Compass code • Start code for Accelerometers and GPS sensors • Image Recognition System – Long Term: • Algorithm for polling data from all sensors • Develop wireless communication
Systems Requirements
• Oversee and act as an administrative source for the overall team – Responsible for the following: • • • • Develop the long term Strategic Plan Insure helicopter flightworthiness Identify design limitations Coordinate integration of the two groups
Systems Requirements
• Past Accomplishments – Created last semester’s team-handbook – Acquired Ground Station – Acquired Flight Simulator Software
Systems Requirements • Present Semester Goals and Status
– Helicopter Repair • Goal 1: Insure flightworthiness of the vehicle – 100% complete – Develop the long term strategic plan • Goal 2: Identify the milestones to meet competition date – 80% complete – Edit Team Handbook • Goal 3: Quickly orient the incoming members – 100% complete
Systems Requirements
• Present Semester Goals and Status – Pilot Training Program • Goal 4: Trained pilots to prevent helicopter damage – 100% complete (ongoing) – Check- out List • Goal 5: Create an inventory tracking system – 95% complete
Systems Requirements
• Future Work – Next Semester: • Helicopter Limitations – Goal: Identify the payload capacity and fuel consumption of the helicopter • Deployed Vehicle Research – Goal: Identify performance requirements – Long Term: • Sub-team Expansion and Integration – Goal: Specify personnel requirements
Financial Budget
Expected Vs. Actual Expenses 2500 2000 1500 Cost ($) 1000 500 0 Po PI C ste /Pr r oc es so H el r ic op te r G PS Se Im n ag so e rs R ec . Sy s.
En tr M y is Fe ce e lla n eo us Expected (In $) Actual (In $)
Human Budget
Nathan Ellefson Steven Smith Scott Dang Bernard Lwakabamba Kirk Kolek Eric Frana Loc Pham Corey Lubahn Todd Welch Matt Devries Estimated(hrs) 84 93 81 90 88 84 80 85 77 77 Actual(hrs) 83 86 87 85 85 111 75 90 80 77
Lessons Learned
• If you need to do something, it may have been done before – GPS, aerial cameras, servos, sonars • PIC programming • RC helicopter flight • Servo micro-controller programming • Right skills for the job are important • Investigation/research • Long range planning
Summary
Goal: Create autonomous aerial vehicle to compete in the IARC competition by 2004.
Solution: Modify RC helicopter to fit needs, create ground vehicle, integrate with image rec.