M.Ing. / This investigation explores the applicability of an adapted formal computational model for rapid synthesis of complete UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) systems in a single unified environment. The proposed framework termed XPDS (Cross-Platform Data Server) incorporates principles from a variety of similar, successful languages such as Giotto and Esterel. Application of such models has been shown to be advantageous in the UAV control system domain. The proposed solution extends the principles to the complete generic crafts/ground station problem and provides a unified framework for the development of distributed, scalable, and predictable solutions. The core of the framework is a hybrid FLET (Fixed Logical Execution Time) computational model which formalises the timing and operation of a number of concurrent processes or tasks. Three mechanisms are built upon the computational model – a design environment, simulation extensions, and code generation functionality. A design environment is proposed which permits a user to operate through an intuitive interface. The simulation extensions provide tight integration into established software such as Mathwork’s MatLab and Austin Meyer’s X-Plane. The code generation framework allows XPDS programs to be potentially converted into source for a variety of target systems. The combination of the three mechanisms and the formal computational model allow stakeholders to incrementally construct, test, and verify a complete UAV system. An implementation of the proposed framework is constructed to verify the proposed design. Initially, the implementation is subjected to a number of experiments that show that it is a valid representation of the specification. A simplified helicopter stability control system, based upon the problem statement from the initial literature review, is then presented as a test case and the solution is subsequently developed in XPDS. The scenario is successfully constructed and tested through the framework, demonstrating the validity of the proposed solution. The investigation demonstrates that it is both possible and beneficial to develop UAV systems in a single, unified environment. The incorporation of a formal computational model leads to rapid development of predictable solutions. The numerous systems are also easily integrated and benefit from features such as modularity and reusability.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:8858 |
| Date | 31 July 2012 |
| Creators | Claassens, Samuel David |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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