Thesis (MEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / This thesis relates to the successful development of an unmanned terrestrial vehicle (UTV) capable of operating in an obstacle ridden environment. The primary focus of the project is on the specific path planning algorithms. It is shown that specific methods of populating the obstacle-free space can be combined with methods of extracting the shortest path from these popula- tions. Through use of such combinations the successful generation of optimal collision-free paths is demonstrated. Previously developed modular architectures are combined and modified to create a UTV platform which meets all the requirements for implementation of navigational systems and path planning algorithms on board the platform. A two-dimensional kinematic state estimator is developed. This estimator makes use of extended Kalman Filter theory to optimally combine measurements from low cost sensors to yield the vehicle’s state vector. Lateral guidance controllers are developed to utilize this estimated state vector in a feedback control configuration. The entire system is then successfully demonstrated within a simulation environment. Finally, practical results from two days of test runs are provided in both written and interactive form

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / Unmanned vehicles (UVs) are expected to be an integral part of the U.S. Navy's expeditionary and carrier strike groups and are quickly being integrated into maritime operations. Command and control issues must be resolved, however, in order to utilize unmanned systems as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets. The purpose of this research was to assess the current doctrine of mission tasking with respect to tactical unmanned vehicles (UVs) and determine a method for effectively tasking these systems. The problem was analyzed by applying the factors of METT-T: mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, and time available to UV-enabled maritime missions. The analysis identified specific implications for unmanned vehicles and emphasized important considerations for tasking and allocating UVs. METT-T analyses generally result in courses of action, however, tasking is a command and control issue, and therefore, four organizational structures emerge for tasking UVs A significant finding of this study is that the current doctrinal framework of the composite warfare commander's concept can support tasking unmanned vehicles, but requires revision to effectively address UV allocation issues. / Ensign, United States Navy

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / The defense response to a Chemical and Biological attack would be importantly based on predicting the dispersion of a toxic cloud. Considering that an Unmanned Air Vehicle would provide the capability for embedding and positioning inertial and air data sensors geographically as required, real-time wind estimation can be performed for every actual position of the flying device in order to predict the plume moving direction. The efforts in this thesis concentrate on the demonstration and validation of procedures for obtaining Wind Estimation close to real-time and its instantaneous display. The presented work is based on a particular UAV platform available at the NPS Aeronautical Department and it aims to establish a general methodology, which may be used on other flying devices with similar available sensors. An accurate estimation of real wind for a particular combat scenario will enable operational units to have a near real-time decision aid. This final result could be integrated into a Command and Control net, to assist in a focused way the response to a Chemical and Biological attack and to map the source or the region to be affected. / Lieutenant Commander, Chilean Navy

The design and validation of a low-level backstepping controller for speed and heading that is adaptive in speed for a twin-hulled underactuated unmanned surface vessel is presented. Consideration is given to the autonomous launch and recovery of an underwater vehicle in the decision to pursue an adaptive control approach. Basic system identification is conducted and numerical simulation of the vessel is developed and validated. A speed and heading controller derived using the backstepping method and a model reference adaptive controller are developed and ultimately compared through experimental testing against a previously developed control law. Experimental tests show that the adaptive speed control law outperforms the non-adaptive alternatives by as much as 98% in some cases; however heading control is slightly sacrificed when using the adaptive speed approach. It is found that the adaptive control law is the best alternative when drag and mass properties of the vessel are time-varying and uncertain. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis advisor: Kenneth Himes / This thesis responds to two distinct claims about drone (or remotely piloted aircraft) pilots. The first is the general claim that the martial virtues function as a kind of role morality for soldiers; the second, that drone pilots, based on the absence of personal risk and their distance from the battlefield, are unable to meet the demands of such a role morality. Chapter One explains what is meant by role morality, and determines whether the martial virtues do in fact function in a role morality capacity. The second chapter applies this general conception of a role morality for soldiers to military drone pilots in particular. This investigation finds that, insofar as "soldier" is in fact a role that generates a role morality, military drone pilots are as capable of meeting the demands of such a role morality as other military members. The second half of the thesis challenges the premise that drone pilots do not face personal risk. Chapter Three identifies psychological risk among drone pilots and seeks to determine how this kind of non-physical risk may affect the cultivation of the martial virtues. The fourth chapter argues that by placing military drone pilots within domestic territory, drone-capable militaries (such as the US military) have redrawn the battlespace such that it includes the drone operators, wherever they may be, and that as a result, drone pilots do in fact face some physical risk. Finally, in closing, this thesis presents a positive account of the martial virtues that enables military ethicists and strategists to bring centuries of philosophical investigation to bear on contemporary military issues. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Philosophy.

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) depth control methods typically use a pressure sensor to measure the depth, which results in the AUV following the trajectory of the surface waves. Through simulations, a controller is designed for the Ocean Explorer AUV with the objective of the AUV holding a constant depth below the still water line while operating in waves. This objective is accomplished by modeling sensors and using filtering techniques to provide the AUV with the depth below the still water line. A wave prediction model is simulated to provide the controller with knowledge of the wave disturbance before it is encountered. The controller allows for depth keeping below the still water line with a standard deviation of 0.04 and 0.65 meters for wave amplitudes of 0.1-0.25 and 0.5-2 meters respectively and wave frequencies of 0.35-1.0 𝑟𝑎𝑑⁄𝑠𝑒𝑐, and the wave prediction improves the depth control on the order of 0.03 meters. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Vivék Ranadivé. / M.S.

In wildlife management, using cutting edge technology and science to monitor greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) populations, enables land managers to better assess the impact of their management decisions. Having precise counts of sage-grouse lek attendance, and specifically male lek attendance, is an important metric used to evaluate population status and response to conservation actions (Gifford et.al, 2013, Dahlgren et al., 2016). Leks are seasonal breeding sites where males perform a ritualistic courtship dance for females. Our case study examined if a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) was effective in detecting, and counting, sage-grouse during the lek season (early March to late April). More specifically, this research used a Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera (a thermal camera) to detect sage-grouse and determine body temperatures of individual sage-grouse to determine if temperature data can be used to identify displaying male sage-grouse. These images can be used to document the activity and behavior of sage-grouse and can be revisited at future times to document changes in bird numbers as well as perform additional statistical analyses. We conducted 5 flights and on a per-flight basis, we identified an average of 4.4 displaying males, 13.4 non-displaying males, and 5.6 female sage-grouse. We found that the average size and average maximum temperature of the three sage-grouse categories differed where females were smaller with an average body size of 325 cm2, an average maximum temperature of 14.6 C ̊, and a smaller average thermal range of 2.47 C ̊. Non-displaying male body size was approximately 488 cm2, with a maximum average temperature of 17.2 C ̊, and an average thermal range of 4.66C ̊. Displaying male body size was the largest at approximately 655 cm2, an average maximum temperature of 27.5C ̊, with the largest average range of 12.39C ̊. Our study demonstrates that RPA and infrared technology can be used to conduct accurate sage-grouse lek attendance counts. Further, results of this study will also provide a guideline for the use of RPA’s to monitor sage-grouse and other lekking species.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 129-141).

Thesis (M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): Isaac Kaminer, Vladimir Dobrokhodov. Includes bibliographical references (p. 67). Also available online.