Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 121 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 90-95).

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In this study, we propose a mixed-integer linear programming model for a Heterogeneous Fixed Fleet Drone Routing problem (HFFDRP) that minimizes the post-disaster inspection cost of a disaster-affected area by accounting a number of drone trajectory-specific factors into consideration such as battery recharging costs, servicing costs, drone hovering, turning, acceleration, constant, and deceleration costs, and many others. The trajectories between each pair of nodes are constructed using a path construction model. Two heuristic algorithms are proposed, namely, Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search (ALNS) algorithm and Modified Backtracking Adaptive Threshold Accepting (MBATA) algorithm, to solve the largest instances of our proposed optimization model. Computational results indicate that the proposed MBATA algorithm is capable of producing high-quality solutions consistently within a reasonable amount of time. Finally, a real-life case study is used to visualize and validate the modeling.

Denna rapport beskriver arbetet med implementeringen av Drone Interactive Map som gjordes på uppdrag av RISE, Research Institutes of Sweden AB. Projektets mål är att göra det lättare att få en överblick över ett händelseförlopp med hjälp av drönare försedda med kameror som dokumenterar händelseförloppet. Projektet kan användas av till exempel räddningstjänstpersonal för att få en överblick över en skogsbrand eller industribrand.Projektet behandlar huvudsakligen automatisk styrning och dynamisk omfördelning av en svärm drönare som styrs genom en webbapplikation. Resultatet blev en produkt som har ett användarvänligt gränssnitt som i genomsnitt fick 78,3 poäng vid användbarhetstester enligt SUS-metoden.Produkten kan dela in ett område i mindre delområden och genererar sedan rutter för enskilda drönare i en drönarsvärm. Projektarbetet utfördes av en grupp på tio personer i kursen TDDD96 Kandidatprojekt i programvaruutveckling vid Linköpings universitet.

As UASs (Uncrewed Aerial System) are further integrated into operations, the need for on-board environmental perception and sensing is necessitated. An accurate and reliable creation of a 3D map resembling an aircraft's surrounding is crucial for accurate collision avoidance and path planning. Consumer UASs are now being equipped with sensors to fulfill such a requirement – but no system has been proven as capable of being fully relied upon. With many sensing options available, there are several constraints regarding size, weight, and cost that must be considered when developing a sensing solution. Additionally, the robustness of the system must not be diminished when moving to a system that minimizes size, weight, or cost. An analysis of different sensing technologies that small rotary-wing aircraft (below 25kg) can be outfitted with for collision avoidance is performed. Several sensing technologies are initially compared through technology analyses and controlled experiments. The topmost systems were then further integrated onto a small low-cost quadcopter for flight testing and data acquisition. Ultimately, a fusion between stereo vision imagery and radar was deemed the most reliable method for providing environmental data needed for collision avoidance. / Master of Science / As drones become further integrated in several industries, it is important that their operations are conducted in a safe manner. Most drones today have a limited ability to sense and react to the environment around them. This results in the risk of the drone colliding with people or obstacles such as buildings, trees, light poles, etc. Thus, an accurate and reliable creation of a 3D map resembling a drone's surrounding is crucial for collision avoidance. This would allow for the avoidance of people and obstacles during automated flights where the drone may encounter obstacles during flight. With many sensing options available, there are several constraints regarding size, weight, and cost that must be considered when developing a sensing solution. Additionally, the reliability of the system must be of the topmost priority to ensure safe operations. An analysis of different sensing technologies that small rotary-wing aircraft (below 25kg) can be outfitted with for collision avoidance is performed. Rotary-wing aircraft are a specific subset of drones that are capable of vertical takeoff, landing, and hover (i.e not planes). An analysis regarding the several sensing technologies was first conducted to select the three topmost solutions. These solutions were then integrated onto a small low-cost quadcopter for data collection and flight testing. Ultimately, a combination of stereo vision imagery and radar was deemed the most reliable method for collecting collision avoidance data.

This work presents a framework for the exploration and path planning for a collaborative UAV and UGV system. The system is composed of a UAV with a stereo system for obstacle detection and a UGV with no sensors for obstacle detection. Two exploration algorithms were developed to guide the exploration of the UAV. Both identify frontiers for exploration with the Dijkstra Frontier method using Dijkstra's Algorithm to identify a frontier with unknown space, and the other uses a bi-directional RRT to identify multiple frontiers for selection. The final algorithm developed was for to give the UGV partial plans when an entire plan is not yet found. This improves the overall mission tempo. The algorithm is designed to keep the UGV a safe distance from the unknown frontier to prevent backtracking. All the algorithms were tested in Gazebo using the ROS framework. The Dijkstra Frontier method was also tested on the hardware system. The results show the RRT Explore algorithm to work well for exploring the environment, performing equally or better than the Dijkstra Frontier method. The UGV partial plan method showed a decreased traveled distance for the UGV but increases in UGV mission time with more conservative distances from danger. Overall, the framework showed a good exploration of the environment and performs the intended missions. / Master of Science / This work presents a framework for the exploration and path planning for a collaborative aerial and ground vehicle robotic system. The system is composed of an aircraft with a camera system for obstacle detection and a ground vehicle with no sensors for obstacle detection. Two exploration algorithms were developed to guide the exploration of the aircraft. Both identify frontiers for exploration with the Dijkstra Frontier method using path planning algorithms to identify a frontier with unknown space (Dijkstra Frontier), and the other uses a sampling based path planning method (RRT Explore) to identify multiple frontiers for selection. The final algorithm developed was for to give the ground vehicle intermediate plans when an entire plan is not yet found. The algorithm is designed to keep the ground vehicle a safe distance from the unknown frontier to prevent backtracking. All the algorithms were tested in a simulation framework using Robot Operating System and one exploration method was tested on the hardware system. The results show the RRT Explore algorithm to work well for exploring the environment, performing equally or better than the Dijkstra Frontier method. The ground vehicle intermediate plan method showed a decreased traveled distance for the ground vehicle but increases in ground vehicle mission time with more conservative distances from danger. Overall, the framework showed a good exploration of the environment and performs the intended missions.

This thesis presents the design and build of tracking system for a quadrotor to chase a moving target based on computer vision in GPS-denied environment. The camera is mounted at the bottom of the quadrotor and used to capture the image below the quadrotor. The image information is transmitted to computer via a video transmitter and receiver module. The target is detected by the color and contour-based detection algorithm. The desired pitch and roll angles are calculated from the position controller based on the relative position and velocity between the moving target and the quadrotor. Interface between PC and quadrotor is built by controlling the PWM signals of the transmitter for command transmission. Three types of position controllers including PD controller, fuzzy controller and self-tuning PD controller based on fuzzy logic are designed and tested in the tracking tests. Results on the corresponding tracking performances are presented. Solutions to improving the tracking performance including the usage of optical sensor for velocity measurement and high-resolution camera for higher image quality are discussed in future work. / Master of Science

Thesis (MScEng)-- Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis presents the analysis, design, simulation and practical implementation of a control system to achieve an accurate autonomous landing of a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle in the presence of wind gust atmospheric disturbances. Controllers which incorporate the concept of direct-lift control were designed based on a study of the longitudinal dynamics of the UAV constructed as a testbed. Direct-lift control offers the prospect of an improvement in the precision with which aircraft height and vertical velocity can be controlled by utilising actuators which generate lift directly, instead of the conventional method whereby the moment produced by an actuator results in lift being indirectly generated. Two normal specific acceleration controllers were designed. The first being a conventional moment-based controller, and the second a direct-lift-augmented controller. The moment-based controller makes use of the aircraft’s elevator while the direct-lift augmented controller in addition makes use of the flaps of the aircraft which serve as the direct-lift actuator. Controllers were also designed to regulate the airspeed, altitude, climb rate, and roll angle of the aircraft as well as damp the Dutch roll mode. A guidance controller was implemented to allow for the following of waypoints. A landing procedure and methodology was developed which includes the circuit and landing approach paths and the concept of a glide path offset to calibrate the touchdown point of a landing. All controllers and the landing procedure were tested in a hardware-in-the-loop simulation environment as well as practically in a series of flight tests. Five fully autonomous landings were performed, three of these using the conventional NSA controller, and the final two the direct-lift-augmented NSA controller. The results obtained during the landing flight tests show that the project goal of a landing within five meters along the runway and three meters across the runway was achieved in both normal wind conditions as well as in conditions where wind gusts prevailed. The flight tests also showed that the direct-lift-augmented NSA controller appears to achieve a more accurate landing than the conventional NSA controller, especially in the presence of greater wind disturbances. The direct-lift augmented NSA controller also exhibited less pitch angle rotation during landing. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis verteenwoordig die analise, ontwerp, simulasie en praktiese implementering van ’n beheerstelsel wat ten doel het om ’n akkurate en outonome landing van ’n onbemande vastevlerk vliegtuig in rukwind atmosferiese toestande te bewerkstellig. Gegrond op ’n studie van die longitudinale dinamika van die vliegtuig wat as proeftuig gebruik is, is beheerders ontwerp wat die beginsel van direkte-lig insluit. Direkte-lig beheer hou die potensiaal in om die vliegtuig se hoogte en vertikale snelheid akkuraat te beheer deur gebruik te maak van aktueerders wat lig direk genereer in teenstelling met die konvensionele metode waar die moment van die aktueerder indirek lig genereer. Twee normaal-versnellings beheerders is ontwerp. Die eerste is ’n konvensionele moment-gebaseerde beheerder wat gebruik maak van die hys-aktueerder van die vliegtuig, en die tweede is ’n direkte-lig-bygestaande beheerder wat addisioneel gebruik maak van die flappe van die vliegtuig wat as die direkte-lig aktueerder dien. Vedere beheerders is ontwerp wat die lugspoed, hoogte, klimkoers, en rolhoek van die vliegtuig reguleer asook die “Dutch roll” gedrag afklam. ’n Leiding-beheerder wat die volg van vliegbakens hanteer, is ingestel. Die landingsprosedure en -metodologie is ontwikkel wat die landingspad sowel as die sweef-pad bepaal en wat terselfdertyd ’n metode daarstel om die posisie van die landingspunt te kalibreer. Die beheerders en landingsprosedure is in ’n hardeware-in-die-lus omgewing gesimuleer en deur middel van ’n reeks proefvlugte getoets. Vyf ten volle outonome landings is uitgevoer waarvan drie van die konvensionele normaal-versnellings beheerder gebruik gemaak het, en die laaste twee die direkte-lig-bygestaande normaal-versnellings beheerder. Die vlugtoetsuitslae bevestig dat die navorsingsdoel om ’n landing binne vyf meter in lyn met en drie meter dwarsoor die landingstrook te bewerkstellig, behaal is. Hierdie akkuraatheid is verkry in beide goeie atmosferiese toestande sowel as toestande met rukwinde. Volgens die vlugtoetse blyk dit dat die direkte-lig-bygestaande normaalversnellings beheerder ’n meer akkurate landing kan bewerkstellig as die konvensionele normaal-versnellings beheerder, veral dan in toestande met rukwinde. Die direkte-ligbygestaande normaal-versnellings beheerder het ook ’n laer hei-hoek rotasie tydens die landing vertoon.

Ce mémoire présente les travaux qui ont été menés conjointement avec l’entreprise Aviatech Services Techniques Inc. (AST) de Trois-Rivières. AST est une firme d’ingénierie se spécialisant dans l’intégration de systèmes avioniques, dans la fabrication de systèmes de levées géophysiques ainsi que dans la conception et la certification de produits aéronautiques. Depuis sa création en 2007, celle-ci a accompli plusieurs projets portant sur des modifications structurales d’aéronefs et sur des essais en vol pour des appareils certifiés sous les catégories FAR 23, 25, 27 et 29. Récemment, l’entreprise s’est impliquée dans le secteur des drones et développe des partenariats avec différentes institutions, dont les universités. Le projet présenté dans ce document s’inscrit dans la lignée des efforts mis par AST afin de développer une version sans pilote (drone) du SA160. De par l’investissement dans le développement technologique du SA160 ainsi que la connaissance des données techniques s’y rattachant, AST est à même de contribuer grandement au développement d’un tel aéronef. Également, l’entreprise est en bonne position afin de proposer des stratégies pour faciliter une future certification de l’appareil ainsi que son intégration dans un espace aérien civil. Le projet de recherche est orienté sur le développement d’un modèle dynamique du SA160, lequel pourra éventuellement servir à des fins de conception de lois de commande et de système de navigation autonome. L’asservissement de ce système complexe requiert une étude approfondie de la dynamique de l’appareil en boucle ouverte. Ainsi, un modèle possédant un haut degré de fidélité est requis afin de démontrer la navigabilité de l’appareil et ses capacités de vol autonome. À cet effet, un modèle dynamique est obtenu à partir de techniques d’identification paramétrique du modèle à temps continu appliquées aux données de vol du SA160. La méthode est appliquée avec l’outil Matlab SIDPAC (System IDentification Program for AirCraft) développé par la NASA. Dans un premier temps, l’instrumentation nécessaire à l’identification du système dynamique a été installée sur l’appareil. Des essais en vol ont permis de recueillir un ensemble de données inertielles et aérodynamiques pour des manœuvres de vol spécifiquement conçues pour maximiser l’efficacité du processus d’identification. Ces manœuvres permettent d’exciter les différents modes de l’aéronef, ce qui permet l’obtention de données riches en information pour l’identification des différents paramètres aérodynamiques du modèle. D’abord, la dynamique couplée à 6 degrés de liberté a été étudiée. À la suite des résultats obtenus, le système a été découplé en deux systèmes indépendants modélisant respectivement la dynamique longitudinale et la dynamique latérale/directionnelle. La méthodologie utilisée a permis d’obtenir un modèle avec de bonnes capacités de prédiction, pour les dynamiques découplées. Une analyse de sensibilité a également été effectuée afin d’identifier le niveau de précision du modèle en regard de l’incertitude statistique des paramètres identifiés. Ces travaux permettent donc d’orienter les efforts de modélisation sur certains paramètres en particulier, en fonction de leur niveau d’influence sur les variables d’état du modèle.

300 million pictures are uploaded everyday on Facebook alone. We live in a society where photography, filming and self-documentation are a natural part of our lives. But how does it inflict on our experiences when we always are considering camera angles, filters and compositions? We might very well ruin the experiences we so badly want to save. Scuba diving is a special experience. We enter a world with another space of movement, surroundings and animal life. An experience that can only be experienced for a limited time. An adventure one want to remember, save and share. But what implications does it have on ones experience if one also have to focus on documenting it? JACQUES is a product that enables the diver´s to document their dive as a memory to re-experience later and share with others while still leaving them fully immersed in their diving experience. With relatively simple technology such as sonar and video object recognition Jacques can film the diver´s underwater adventure and adept to their behavior without the diver even noticing it. And by being focused on the actual dive one also becomes a better and safer diver.