UAV Research at CU (Colorado Center for Unmanned Vehicle Systems)

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UAV Research at CU(Colorado Center for Unmanned
Vehicle Systems)

• Cory Dixon
• University of Colorado
• Aerobotics Lab

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Overview

• Aerobotics
• UAVs
• UAV Avionics
• AUGNet

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AES Aerobotics

• Goal
• Develop mission-adaptable UAV systems.
• Multidisciplinary, Vertically Integrated Teams
• AE, EE, ME, CS, PAOS,
• Undergrads ? Ph.D.
• Graduate Curriculum
• Under development to complement the AES
  Curriculum 2000
• First graduates in May 2003
• Highlighted Projects
• Aerosonde
• TornadoChaser
• AUGNet

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UAV Systems

• Aircraft
• Miniature
• Size lt 15 ft span
• Weight lt 55 lbs
• Power 60 W
• Micro
• Size lt 6 inches
• Weight 2 oz
• Power lt 1 W

• Missions
• In-situ Atmospheric Measurement
• Reconnaissance
• Operations
• Remotely Piloted Stability Augmented Control
• Autonomous

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UAVs at CU
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DBF Competition Results
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DBF Winning Trends
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Hybrid Avionics
Hybrid A control system that combines
continuous physical behavior with discrete
control algorithms.

• Central Flight Computer
• Single Internal Bus
• Multiple IO
• RS232/422/485
• Analog/Digital
• Motor Control (PWM)
• Subsystems
• Power
• IMU/Attitude
• GPS/Navigation
• Communication
• Video/Telepresence
• Recovery
• Science

Common University Avionic System
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TornadoChaser Avionics System

• Off-the-shelf
• Rapid development
• Inexpensive
• Modular
• PC104 standard
• Changeable components
• Systems
• PC104 Flight Stack
• Failsafe/Backup
• R/C
• Locator beacon

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TornadoChaser
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TornadoChaser Improvements

• Weight / Size / Cost / Power
• Not truly modular
• Forced to use PC104 form factor
• A PC104 board change affects ALL other systems
• Stack and components is a fixed system
• Future Student Involvement
• Operating System (VxWorks)
• Electronics
• Stack becomes fixed system gt No ownership

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FUAV Avionics(Fire monitoring UAV)

• Modular
• No central F.C.
• External Control Bus
• Interface Board for each module
• In-house System Design
• Microcontroller Interface Boards
• Using commercial components
• Subsystems
• IMU
• Communication
• Systems
• Plug-n-Play modules as needed

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FUAV Avionics(Fire Monitoring UAV)

• Cost / Size / Weight
• Increased Modularity
• Removed inter-dependency on subsystems
• Not restricted to any form factor
• Only constraint on subsystem is a CAN interface
• Future Student Involvement
• Modularity gt Ownership

• Interface Board 0.1
• Fault tolerant CAN Network
• 6 PWM
• 2 RS232
• 6 10-bit A/D
• 8 DIO

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AUGNet(Ad-Hoc UAV Ground Network)

• Goal
• Demonstrate last-mile networking using airborne
  wireless nodes to extend network range over
  terrain.
• Wireless Network
• 802.11 Network
• Compaqs IPAQ running Linux
• Airplanes
• 3 UAVS
• Modified COTS Aircraft
• Composite Construction
• Remotely Controlled
• VirtualCockpit
• GPS Waypoint nav

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Status Future Work

• TornadoChaser
• Has flown in large R/C aircraft
• New airframe under development
• Project is dead at Senior Design level
• FUAV
• Has been used to provide pilot control in
  miniature aircraft
• System modules now under development
• Becoming primary Avionics system
• AUGNet
• Project is in prototyping phase
• First flight demo in February

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Thats All

• Questions
• Cory.Dixon_at_Colorado.edu
• 303-492-4469