Funding provided by:

Clients

• Iowa Space Consortium• Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Advisors

• Dr John Lamont, Professor E/Cpr E

• Dr Ralph Patterson, Professor E/Cpr E

• Dr John Basart, Professor E/Cpr E

• Dr Ganesh Rajagopalan, Professor Aero EOngo3

First Semester Members

• Scott Dang EE• Nathan Ellefson CprE• Eugene Koob CprE• Bernard Lwakabamba EE• Steven Smith EE• Chad Winterhof CprE

Second Semester Members

• Corydon Carlson EE• John Dorsey EE• Nick Lindstrom CprE• Zach Smith CprE• Brian Peres CprE

Hosted by Georgia Tech every year since 1990, the International Aerial Robotics Competition (IARC) is an open challenge, in the field of robotics, to scientific institutes from around the world. The primary task of the competition is to send an unmanned autonomous flying machine into a predetermined situation and perform a required set of activities. The goal of Micro-CART is to launch Iowa State University’s first entry into this competition.

Abstract

General Background: An unmanned aerial vehicle should fly to a designated area, perform a set of tasks and report relevant information to a ground station.

Technical problem: A helicopter must be automated so that it can perform these tasks without human input.

Operating environment: The helicopter will need to operate over a variety of outdoor terrain for an indefinite period of time during the spring and summer months.

Intended user:Iowa State University Micro-CART team members who will compete in the IARC.

Assumptions: • Funding will be available for the completion of the project.• Major computations will be done using a ground-based PC.

Limitations:

• The payload carrying capacity will limit the vehicle’s design.• Flight time of the helicopter without refueling is dependent on aerodynamics and payload, both of which are variable.

Technical ApproachThe team has broken into three subgroups: System Requirements, Communications, and Flight Control.

Communications: Responsible for interfacing the sensors with the PICs.

Flight control: Will interface PICs with CPU.(Figure 1).

System Requirements: Project planning and pilot training.

Figure 1

Design RequirementsDesign Objectives • Outfit helicopter with sensor, control and data transmission systems.• Program the PICs to retrieve data from sensors and use it to control the helicopter in flight. Functional Requirements• Autonomous flight of the helicopter• Landmark recognition• Data transmission to and from the ground station.

Measurable Milestones• Select and train pilots and establish training program for future.• Develop a comprehensive project plan.• Implementation of the sensory system that includes the PICs.• Apply a software algorithm that relays sensor information.

As the autonomous helicopter flies over the test field it captures images of the surrounding landscape and transmits this information to the ground station. The ground station, using image recognition algorithms, identifies key landmarks and issues commands to the helicopter to complete the predetermined tasks.

End-Product Description

TestingSystems requirements sub-group will create the overall test plan.

Helicopter Operation

Fly helicopter under human control to insure aircraft has been properlyassembled and operates correctly. Acceptance Criteria: The aircraft can fly reliably.Responsible Group: System Requirements Sensor-PIC CommunicationUse an Intel 386-based PC to test the system with dummy data. Acceptance Criteria: Accurate movement of data between PICs and 386.Responsible Group: Flight ControlAccuracy of Sensors

Test the various sensors that will be used on the helicopter based on voltage levels and performance.Acceptance Criteria: Accurate data reliably retrieved from the sensors.Responsible Group: Communications

Overall Budget

Personnel Hours: 592 hours Semester Financial Budget: $50 Overall Financial Budget: $7900

Introduction