1. Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Dr. Daniel P Schrage Jeong Hur Fidencio Tapia Suresh K Kannan SUCCEED Poster Session 6 March 1997

2. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Team Goal n Autonomous Flight n Find Drums n Identify Drum Labels n Retrieve Sample (Disk) Competition Goals Design an autonomous VTOL aerial vehicle that will compete in the 1997 AUVS International Aerial Robotics Competition

3. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Goals - Autonomous Flight Everything, from take off to landing upon mission completion must be autonomous. No user input whatsoever is allowed. The saftey pilot is always on hand to take over in case of an emergency. If an emergency occurs and the pilot takes control the mission is void.

4. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Goals - Find Drums

5. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Goals - Retrieve Disk

6. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Goals - Identify Labels

7. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Aerial Robotics System Overview

8. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Group Definitions n Mission Provide operational framework, mission control, central information processing, data routing n Control Design, program, test, and tune airframe controllers n Vision Identify drums, labels, and disk; provide object detection and positioning information to mission control system n Interface Design, build, test, and integrate on-vehicle electronics; design ground-station network interface n Retriever Prototype, design, build, and test a system to retrieve the sample disk n Platform Maintain vehicle; design equipment configuration; testing support

9. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Mission System Overview

10. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Mission Group Purpose Provide command and coordination to all sub-systems in the Aerial Robotics framework Task List u Design and build a framework within which sub-systems can interact seamlessly F Provide a centralized pool for information flow F Receive and collate information from all subsystems F Re-route information to appropriate sub-systems u Provide graphical interface for human operator u Provide algorithms to achieve competition goal F Responsible for total control of all sub-systems during autonomous flight

11. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Mission - Top Level Algorithm n Test and initialize ground station subsystems n Test and initialize vehicle subsystems (GPS, AHRS etc..) n Autonomous take off n Fly preplanned route while vision subsystem maps field u If drum is found, place location in map and attempt label identification u If disk is found on drum, interrupt mapping and retrieve n Plan optimal route to check uncertain labels on drums n Return to starting point and land 60 Minutes allowed to complete mission

12. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Mission - Flight Route n Field Mapping Plan (Helicopter maintains constant heading during flight)

13. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Control System Overview

14. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Control Purpose To design reliable controllers to achieve state vector requested by mission controller

15. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Control Group Tasks n Minimum complexity Math Model u NASA Model currently considered u Model matching u Linearize about Hover (?) n Graphical Simulation u Allow pilot to fly model/airframe through PC u Architecture to mix pilot and control outputs u Integration with Mission Status Display n Integrate with other sub-systems n Develop Control Laws (PID or better) n Flight Tests Controller tuning Framework

16. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Control - Four PID Controllers Overview of the Stability and Control Augmentation System

17. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Control - Tuning the Controllers Example - Tuning Pitch Controller u Design initial gains using model u Flight test F Use pitch controller on airframe F Use pilot to control roll, yaw, altitude F Collect data and any un-predictable behavior u Match model and re-tune controller

18. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Vision System Overview

19. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Vision Purpose To develop image processing software and hardware to achieve vision based tasks Task List u Hardware F Camera Selection and mounting F Receiver and Transmitter selection u Software F Map the field F Locate Drums F Identify Labels F Locate Disk

20. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Vision - Arena Mapping Mapping Given a series of pictures and their x,y,altitude coordinates the mapping software creates a mosaic map of the arena

21. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Vision - Drum Location Given a picture map of the arena, the software will pick out high probability locations for the drums. The drum location software will be a feature extraction process of some kind.

22. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Vision - Disk and Label Location Given high resolution pictures of the area near a drum F Look for labels and identify them using a neural net or template matching techniques. The software should accommodate varying positions, rotations and scaling of labels F Use filters to check for the distinct orange disk

23. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Interface System Overview

24. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Interface Group Purpose To design, build, test, and program the electronic systems on-board the vehicle, and to design the communications network for the ground station. Tasks u Flight computer/on-board hardware design u Flight computer build/test u Flight computer programming F System control F Control laws F Communications F Sensor data aquisition u Ground station TCP/IP networking u Sensor testing/evaluation/integration u Final system bench testing

25. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Interface - Flight Computer Two Processors Flight Control (SCAS) / Sensor data manipulation / State tracking Communications / Mission control Multiplexer - switch between computer and remote human control Retriever control and status

26. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Retriever System Overview

27. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Retriever Group Purpose Design, prototype, build and test a system to retrieve the sample disk. Previous Design Concepts u Single disk-drive magnet on string u Aluminum tubing on string (drag-catcher) u Semi-inflated balloon with magnets u Netting with magnets u “Magnet Spider” - flexible arms with magnets to close around disk

28. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Retriever - Design Current Prototype “Magnet Net” F Two rods connected to crossbar by slide F String and reel on DC motor to lower/raise retrieval apparatus F Meshed triangle with magnetic rings:

29. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Platform System Overview

30. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Platform Group Purpose To handle vehicle maintenance, equipment mounting, and provide testing support. Task List u Assist in field testing of flight computer, development of controller u Platform analysis/selection u Payload testing u Obtain spares u Optimize equipment placement u Assist in system testing for other groups F Fly with camera/transmitter - record video F On-board testing of GPS, altimeter, motion pak u Assist in sensor calibration u Provide support for final field testing/system integration

31. 1997 Georgia Tech Aerial Robotics Platform