Uav robotics

Gentlenav Fixed wing: preferred solution
Gentlenav Matrix pilot is the only project able to loiter an UavAirframes in a circle above a target, making the IMU dizzy proof. The code is GPL but neither Diydrones arducopter nor Openpilot have implemented the Gentlenav innovations. For Quad drones Openpilot seems to have a slight advantage over Diydrones arducopter.

autoquad
http://autoquad.org/wiki/wiki/getting-started/autoquad-software-setup/autoquad-ground-control-station-android/

MultiRotor
http://www.multirotorforums.com/content.php http://www.100copters.com/

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Kamerahalterung-Zahnriemenantrieb-Mikrokopter-/260906486478?pt=RC_Modellbau&hash=item3cbf3d0ace Camera mount

http://www.multirotorforums.com/showthread.php?956-Gunters-new-octocopter-build Octa build with CNC

http://www.buildyourowndrone.co.uk/

ESC speed control
ESC speed control Flash the commercial ESC to disable their inbuilt CPU, the Gentlenav PWM pulses drives the mosfets on the ESC directly. Without proper ESC, the drone will oscillate - hardware problem, leading to confusing it with the IMU software not seemingly able to stabilize the drone.

Gimballs and suppliers
moved to Gimbal

water proof
moved to Quad frames

Yaw control needs V-tail on quads in strong winds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE4Fd9vdg1I&feature=player_embedded

The V-tail quad(Openpilot) provides the best Yaw control, enabling it to fly in strong winds. The four motor Quad frame is symmetric which doesn't allow it to exert the Yaw control in high winds that a V-tail does. The extended V-tail away from the main frame, increases the leverage to stabilize the frame.

Combine pyrometer and IMU control
In clear weather devoid of fog, IR sensing Paparazzi_uav provides excellent wing leveling control. When flying in clouds or fog and over mountains the IR control fails. Gentlenav IMU works in any weather, over any terrain. Combine Paparazzi_uav and Gentlenav in a UAV, using Gentlenav as the primary means of control and correlate it with IR sensor in clear weather.

PID tuning
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1521520

https://groups.google.com/group/uavdevboard/browse_frm/thread/8fdbccd17b9f2a5d First post for me and I'd like to say I know just enough about what your doing to be amazed and appreciative. In my work with VFD AC Motor Drives during the installation of a new motor we run the controller through an automated test that determines the varous response characteristics/dynamics of the motor to calibrate the Drive. Would it be unreasonable to bring the flying craft to a safe hover with some type of default PID settings then have the controler make micro bursts of throttle inputs to the various motors allowing the sensors on board to measure the torque and various rational offsets needed? This could make it easy for us to be able make adjustments for changing the dynamics of our crafts (changing battery size or type, adding or removing equipment/cameras or such, unballanced payloads) with out the painful experimentation of readjusting PID's. Is this something you see being able to incorporate in the future? Regards, Ed

Hi Ed, Welcome aboard. Thanks for joining our group. I have taken the first steps in the direction of what you are suggesting. I am able to measure the LaPlace transform of the tilt dynamics from the available data, without having to disturb the controls in any way. Attached is the result for my draganflier. Best regards, Bill

download 	draganFlierTiltImpulseFunction.pdf

Calibration
http://code.google.com/p/autoquad/wiki/cal_static

Image stabilize
Predator drone image stabilize technology now available in consumer products for $50. http://www.pcworld.com/article/235129/image_stabilization_for_airborne_drones_comes_to_home_video.html

http://www.motiondsp.com/
 * Virtual dub deshaker
 * See OpenTLD GPL tracking software, face, vehicle and person detection.

Note the airframe
moved to http://sasecurity.wikia.com/wiki/Inverted_v-tail

Pcb motor
http://pcbmotor.com/information/1-benefits-22/ Use for camera targeting on a uav.

Video goggles
VideoGoggles Link to single monocular eye piece, allows one to drive, work and watch video or work on computer.

FpGa uav integration
Openpilot can't implement the more innovative KalmanFilter algorithms at 500Hz due to the embedded CPU platform limited computational power. Use FpGa for Kalman algorithms and the CPU to handle GpsAndGprs navigation. Kalman handles non-linear effects better than the DCM algorithm. This is a significant issue for QuadroCopter drones and helicopters. For fixed wing the DCM is sufficient. With DCM to many arbitrary PID hacking has to be done for each frame.

SA
http://robotics.org.za/index.php?route=product/product&path=67&product_id=144

UAV forks
http://www.dronefilmer.com sells hoverfly  http://www.hoverflytech.com/

http://code.google.com/p/autoquad/wiki/Introduction?tm=6


 * Quad frames, QuadroCopter
 * Openpilot
 * Wookong IMU
 * Ebay uav parts
 * http://waspuav.org/ University of Canterbury
 * https://github.com/nzjrs/wasp Wasp uav
 * AttoPilot Commercial IMU unit for $4200 available for export to South-Africa after ITAR clearance.
 * Ardu Pirates Diydrones fork
 * Ardupilotdev Diydrones fork2 Used for UavAirframes


 * GPS signal loss
 * http://www.aeryon.com/images/gallery/products/_MG_2625_web.JPG
 * Starlino uav
 * Camera gimbal moved to Gimballs
 * UnmannedAerialVehicles, RoboTics, QuadroCopter


 * Ros uav GPL drone project(stable)


 * http://www.ardidrones.com/ South-African site selling Diydrones arducopter


 * Paparazzi uav


 * Build logs


 * http://www.uavforge.net/ DARPA crowed sourcing


 * Gluon Pilot GPL opensource gyro/acc. stabilized plane. Combine this code with Gentlenav wind stabilized code. Use the Aerovironment airframe for high winds from UavAirframes.


 * Pixhawk GPL release. Use the OpenPilot EKF(Extended Kalman filter) on the Pixhawk board, Openpilot haven't yet released hardware.


 * Multi Pilot Another IMU drone based design, with ideas taken from Mikrokopter.
 * Multiwii quad
 * Mnav xbox uav


 * Bordelon notes


 * Aeroquad Developer updates code


 * Seedstalker Updated firmware wireless


 * Shrediquette quadrocopter MAV by W. Thielicke. Small micro-air-vehicle that can fly through windows in Iraq with small bomb or surveillance camera.


 * Rcgroup thread


 * Kkmulticopter Another GPL quad controller


 * Open BLDC Open source brush less dc motor controller


 * Mikrokopter Most stable frame, with code under GPL and hex binary file. Decompile this hex file, combine the best code from all the GPL projects(Aero,Ardu,Pirates Gluon etc) to deliver a quality quad project in South-Africa, because our legal code(or lack of it) protects us. See HackPatents.


 * Uavp mods


 * Diydrones arducopter


 * Diydrones members


 * RateGyro Commercial IMU units starting at $350.


 * RateGyro2 Opensource IMU units.


 * OpenTLD

Farmers in South-Africa
Hover a quad drone above a farmers at about 20meters, with flashing LEDS. It provides immediate visuals of any situation he might be in. The OpenTLD object tracking system tracks the farmer automatically as well as wth GPS signals from the farmer. A farmer wears a panic button. His vital functions could be monitored automatically and send back a signal without any intervention from his side.

Anti-Piracy
UavAirframes A few hundred UavAirframes fitted with cheap $350 IMU from RateGyro and un-cooled ThermalImagingCameras streaming images over a 400Mhz WiMax link, patrolling the major Afghanistan routes will prevent IED attacks. With FpGa real-time image stabilization is done on the Mpeg4Compression stream, negating cross winds destabilizing the video image. See - Drone swarming

Anti-Piracy can be done with thousands of UavAirframes and MannedSystems, surveillance can be done during the day , they won't need expensive ThermalImagingCameras. With a small petrol engine they remain airborne for 20 hours(copy the Insitu Scan Eagle design), allowing them to operated from land. At a cost of R20,000 per plane 2000 drones - R40mil. Compare this to the billions of dollars in expenses to patrol and insure the Somalian coast. Fit each tanker ship at see with UavAirframes to scout in a large radius around it. If attacked by a pirate ship the drone is launched and keeps it in focus with ThermalImagingCameras and OpenTLD, allowing NATO fleet enough time to intercept the ship. Communication is via satellite phone on the drone. Use Drone swarming to attack the individual pirates if they scale the ship or on their own pirate ship when close enough. Fit a camera in the nose of a small bomb, drop it from the UAV unto a target by steering it over the video link. US soldiers would be able to overcome the insurgency this way. This can easily be done using opensource methods, but http://www.raytheon.com won't allow it.

Flying bomb
Use OpenTLD for vision guidance. A freighter coming under attack from a Somali pirate ship steers a flying bomb into the pirate ship. Build a flyinge bomb with a wi-fi patch antenna in the tail pointing to the uav drone in the sky from where it was dropped. Using a video link the bomb is guided unto the pirate ship.

Use a large uav to drop a flying lead ball(x2 tennis ball size) unto the ship, instead of explosives. From a height of 800m, it will penetrate the ship with so much kinetic energy that it will punch right through it, flooding the ship.

Freight ships load individual bomb making compounds unto the ship before sailing and only make a fertilizer bomb when well away from land. As soon as in safe waters the bomb is disposed off in the ocean.

AeroVironment Gets Order For Lethal Backpack UAV: Switchblade
 * http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=13624.0  Video of switch blade.
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unmanned_aerial_vehicles
 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdKsu5ZgwIU Wasp and switchblade kamikaze drones

CNC

 * CncControllers
 * Tensioner belts http://www.econobelt.com/