1. Stability Control System for a Propeller Powered by a Brushless DC Motor (BLDC) Codey M. Lozier Christian A. Thompson Advisor: Dr. Mohammad Saadeh

2. Introduction Objectives Control Systems Lift Force Experimental Setup Components Testing of Components Controller for One Motor Controller for Two Motors

3. Objectives A brushless DC motor is attached to a propeller, and fixed onto the end of a horizontal beam. A shaft will be fixed onto the horizontal beam creating a 90 degree angle The opposite end of shaft will be attached to rotary encoder. When the motor is energized, the propeller will produce a lift force that will stabilize the beam Every time the motor rises or falls the shaft connected to the rotary encoder rotates This “index” value will be used as an error signal

4. Control Systems Modify a system so it behaves in a desirable way over time Arrows (signals) represent vector-valued functions of time Basic Control System Plant Controller Sensor r- reference input v- sensor output u- actuating signal d- external disturbance y-measure signal n- sensor noise

5. Lift Force Of the four forces of flight, we are only concerned with two: Lift and Weight Force [Opposing Forces] Lift Force must be greater than Weight

6. The Airfoil The airfoil created by an airplane wing is just like a propeller blade Air under the blade moves slower than the air moving above the blade.

7. Initial Experimental Setup

8. Final Experimental Setup

9. Various Electrical Components Various Electrical Components

10. Arduino UNO

11. Brushless DC Motor Fixed on shaft coupler Goal is to use propeller to create lift force Electrically communicated Powered using speed controller Commutation is induced through PWM

12. Modifications to BLDC Original Propeller could not generate lift force Replaced with 8 x 4.5 carbon fiber propeller New propeller generates desirable lift force

13. Brushless Speed Controller Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) Powers Motor(17Vdc) Used in high power RC Systems Receives PWM signals from Arduino UNO

14. YUMO™ Rotary Encoder Measures change in angle, direction, and speed Produces a signal that represents an “index” or angular position (1024 pulses/rev) Produces two signals that represent a CW/CCW rotation of the shaft.

15. Rotary Encoder Shaft stabilized with pillow block Device is fixed to table Encoder is interfaced with Data Acquisition Device

16. USB4 Data Acquisition Device

17. LabView 2014 (a) Front Panel View(b) Back Panel View

18. Testing Components Micro Load Cell – a force sensing element Strain gauges are mounted in fixed locations Deformation of strain gauges results in an electrical resistance

19. Testing Components Phidget Bridge o Contains 4 Wheatstone Bridges o Amplifies signal sent from micro load cell (1) o USB interface (2) o Demo Applications are provided o Users can develop own applications

20. Micro Load Cell Calibration Used demo program provided by manufacturer Preformed several trials Values produced were stable

21. Video Demonstrations Here we will show you two videos The first being one motor control system The second being two motors running simultaneously and reacting to outside forces

22. Thank You For Attending Our 2014 Senior Project Presentation By: Codey M. Lozier Christian A. Thompson