SmartCopter

1. SmartCopter Group #3 AlvildaRolle Brian Williams Matthew Campbell Sponsors Nelson Engineering Co Rogers, Lovelock, and Fritz Architecture University of Central Florida

2. Introduction • SmartCopter is a device that is mounted to the underside of a RC helicopter and records flight data. Such as acceleration, rotation, current heading, and current video. All while streaming video from the helicopter. • Motivation • To understand the dynamics of RC helicopter flight • To create a starting point for autonomous designs

3. Goals • To record flight data • Acceleration in x, y, and z axis • Rotation about the x, y, and z axis. • Altitude • Magnetic Heading • To record video • Overlay flight information in post-production • If time permits

4. Helicopter Description • ESKY BELT CP RC Helicopter • Brushless motor • Belt driven tail rotor • More control • Lower failure rate • Capable of aerobatic flight

5. Helicopter Description

6. Helicopter Description • Position & Orientation • Frame of reference • Space Frame • Body Frame • Main Rotor Frame • Pitch, roll, yaw • Euler angles (shown on next page)

7. Helicopter Description

8. Helicopter Description • Flight Surfaces • Main Rotor • Speed in RPMs • Beta Angles or Pitch • Collective Pitch • Tail Rotor • Pitch

9. Power Management Battery • Lithium Polymer • 11.1V 1800mAh 20C 3-Cell high capacitance Li-Po battery • Advantages • Quantity: 2 • Replaces Lithium-Ion Power Supply • Battery • Speed controller – regulates voltage supplied to motor • Motor - functions as a converter of electrical energy to kenitc Motor Control • Esky 450 3800KV brushless motor • Advantages: longer lifetime, higher efficiency • No brushes

10. Servos • Standard vs. Digital • Control flight device • Uses error sensing feedback to provide correction • Maintain position • 3 wire control usage: ground wire, signal wire, power wire • Receives a series of pulses sent over a control wire that control the angle of the actuator arm • Connected to linkage that connects to swashplate

11. Subsystem Design Flight Data System- Hardware

12. Accelerometers • Used to measure acceleration forces • Helps determine orientation • Triple Axis Accelerometer –ADXL 335 • Low noise and power consumption • Polysilicon surface • Mechanical sensors for X,Y, and Z axis • Used with operating voltages above Vs = 3V, single-supply operation: 1.8V to 3.6V • Low power: 350 uA (typical) • Great temperature stability, fully assembled • Other possibilities: Triple Axis Accelerometer Breakout – SCA3000

13. Gyros • Mechanical vs. Piezoelectric • Pointed nose detection • Gyro Breakout Board - IDG500 Dual 500 degree/sec • Uses 2 sensor elements that sense the rate of rotation about the X and Y axis • Heading Hold (HH) vs. Yaw Rate (YR) • Noise filtering • Other considerations: IMU 5 Degrees of Freedom IDG500/ADXL335 vs. Gyro Breakout Board + Triple Axis Accelerometer Breakout *The Inertia Measurement Unit

14. Ultrasonic Range Finder • Measure distances between moving and/or stationary objects • Ping sensor • Ultrasonic Range Finder - Maxbotix LV-EZ2 • Quantity: 2 , *Not specifically designed for outdoor use, but device can be mounted so that the sensor is protected from element exposure **Automatic Calibration to Compensate for Changes in Temperature, Noise, Humidity, and Voltage

15. GPS • EM-406A • SiRF Star III Chipset • Accuracy of 5 meters • 42 second average initialization time • Updates every second • TTL interface • Formatted String output

16. GPS

17. Microcontroller • Hardware • PIC 18F4550 • 40-pin configuration • 13 A/D channels • 10 bit accuracy • CCP and ECCP modules • Support of 5 PWM channels • Operating Frequency of up to 48MHz • USB capabilities • ICSP Programming ability

18. Microcontroller

19. Microcontroller • More Hardware • 32k of program memory • 2k of data memory • 256 bytes of EEPROM • 75 Instructions • 83 w/ Extended Instructions Enabled • 20 Interrupt Sources

20. SD Card Interface • SD Card Pin Out • Chip Select • DI • GND • VDD (+3.3V) • CLK • GND

21. SD Card Interface • Flight data stored onto SD Card to be read after the flight • Includes time stamp so that video can be synced with data • FAT32 file system • SPI interface

22. Embedded Software • C18 Programming Language

23. Embedded Software • GPS Reader • Does • Updates GPS via serial communications • Knows • Current Location • Previous Location • Analog Reader • Does • Manages the A/D Converter • Updates sensor data • Knows • Values from each A/D channel

24. Embedded Software • Sensor Reader • Does • Initializes Readers • Manages data from sources • File Writer • Does • Writes flight data to SD card

25. Embedded Software • Controller • Does • Initializes components • Relays data to File Writer • Manages timing between data updates and file writes • Knows • Current time • Current state • Init • Waiting on Data • Writing Data • Close

26. Base Station Software • Created using Java Media Framework • GUI containing recorded flight video and data

27. TESTING • Financial burden • Maintain structural integrity • Timeline setback • Crash could result in potential failure

28. TESTING PROCEDURES • Flight Simulator • Manual Flight Controls • Ultrasonic Range Finder • GPS • HeliCam • Software • RF System • Wireless Transmission

29. FLIGHT SIMULATOR • Flight simulator testing will allow the team to learn the fundamentals of the helicopter flight controls.

30. FLIGHT SIMULATOR • Crashing the actual helicopter is a must to avoid! • Upon successful completion of the flight simulator, the team will fly the actual helicopter.

31. TESTING LOCATION • Proper testing location • Large area • Minimal traffic • Terrain composition • Soft soil • Grass • Close proximity to two team member’s homes

32. TESTING ACCOMODATIONS • Maximize productivity and efficiency on test days. • Additional batteries • Transceiver • Helicopter • Close access to electricity, computer, and shelter in the event of unexpected weather.