Micro unmanned aerial vehicle video surveillance platform quadrocopter aircraft

108 Pages·2014·5.9 MB·English

by  Michael John Skadan

Eastern Washington University
EWU Digital Commons
EWU Masters Thesis Collection Student Research and Creative Works
2012
Micro unmanned aerial vehicle video surveillance
platform quadrocopter aircraft
Michael John Skadan
Eastern Washington University
Follow this and additional works at:http://dc.ewu.edu/theses
Part of theComputer Sciences Commons
Recommended Citation
Skadan, Michael John, "Micro unmanned aerial vehicle video surveillance platform quadrocopter aircraft" (2012).EWU Masters Thesis
Collection. 44.
http://dc.ewu.edu/theses/44
This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research and Creative Works at EWU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for
inclusion in EWU Masters Thesis Collection by an authorized administrator of EWU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact
[email protected].
Micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Video Surveillance Platform
Quadrocopter Aircraft

A Thesis
Presented To
Eastern Washington University
Cheney, Washington

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Master of Science Degree in Computer Science

By
Michael John Skadan
Summer 2012
THESIS OF MICHAEL J. SKADAN APPROVED BY

Signature: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________
Dr. Paul Schimpf, Graduate Study Committee

Signature: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________
Dr. Claudio Talarico, Graduate Study Committee

Signature: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________
Dr. Jacqueline Coomes, Graduate Study Committee

ii
MASTER’S THESIS
In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s degree at
Eastern Washington University, I agree that the JFK Library shall make copies freely
available for inspection. I further agree that copying of this project in whole or in part is
allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or
publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be
allowed without my written permission.

Signature: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________

iii
Abstract
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Video Surveillance Platforms are beginning to play a critical role
in the military, law enforcement, and search and rescue. The defense department has been
the major contributor to this increase in demand. Modern warfare is increasingly fought in
urban environments such as towns and cities. Urban warfare is a difficult and dangerous
environment to operate in due to the presence of civilians and the complexity of the terrain.
Miniature UAVs (MUAVs) offer a new approach to conducting urban combat with reduced
exposure to combatant attack.

In order for a MUAV to be able to operate in an urban environment it must be able to take
off, land, and navigate in confined spaces. In must also be able to communicate with an
operator in order to transmit video, audio and location information in real time in a secure
manner. The increased likelihood of downed UAVs in the field requires the design to be low
cost and expendable. This project required the integration of mechanical, electrical, and
software engineering skills to complete the design. This thesis attempts to design a MUAV
that meets the requirements to operate in an urban environment. A quad rotor helicopter
(quadrocopter) design was chosen for the design.

The aircraft’s physical components were developed using mechanical computer aided design
(CAD) software. All physically components of the design were model and assembled
virtually in the CAD software prior to actual assembly. This included commercial
components off the shelf (COTS) and custom designed components. The airframe’s custom
designed components were manufacture using a 3D printer and made out of light weight
plastic. This enabled the mechanical parts to be made fast, cheap, and reliably.

The aircraft’s electrical components were developed using electrical CAD software. All
physically components of the design were model and assembled virtually in the CAD
software prior to actual assembly. This included COTS and custom design components. The
custom designed electrical circuit boards were sent to a printed circuit board (PCB)
manufacturer to be produced. This enabled the electrical circuitry to be made fast, cheap, and
reliably.

The aircraft’s software components were modularly design to make it easier to understand
and modify to make improvements. The software was written in two languages C++ and C#.
C++ was used to interface at a low level with the electrical circuits. C# was used to
implements the high level graphical user interface (GUI). To reduce development time,
improve reliably, and aid in identifying requirements, COTS software modules and a spiral
design model were used. All software was programmed and debugged in integrated
development environments.

The project produced a platform with the required sensors and computing power available for
more advanced software to be added later to enable the aircraft to fly missions completely
autonomously. The additional software has access the GPS for waypoint navigation and
video images for object recognition. The additional software would require no new hardware
to be added and should cost little beyond development time to implement.
iv
Table of Contents
I. Introduction ______________________________________________________1
II. Background ______________________________________________________2
A. Vertical Take Off & Landing (VTOL) Aircraft _________________________2
B. Helicopter________________________________________________________3
C. Quad Rotor Helicopter (Quadrocopter) _______________________________3
D. Advantages of the Quadrocopter Helicopter ___________________________4
E. Quadrocopter Applications _________________________________________4
F. Existing Quadrocopter Designs ______________________________________5
G. Project Goal ______________________________________________________5
III. Design ___________________________________________________________6
IV. Component Prioritization ___________________________________________7
V. Risk Management _________________________________________________9
A. Identify _________________________________________________________10
B. Analyze _________________________________________________________11
1. Time ________________________________________________________________________ 12
2. Funding _____________________________________________________________________ 12
3. Airframe _____________________________________________________________________ 12
4. Drive System _________________________________________________________________ 12
5. Circuitry _____________________________________________________________________ 13
6. Communications ______________________________________________________________ 13
7. Flight Stability Control Software Algorithm _________________________________________ 13
i
8. Collision Avoidance ____________________________________________________________ 14
9. Video _______________________________________________________________________ 14
10. Global Positioning _____________________________________________________________ 14
11. Requirements Change __________________________________________________________ 14
C. Plan ____________________________________________________________15
1. Time ________________________________________________________________________ 15
2. Funding _____________________________________________________________________ 16
3. Air Frame ____________________________________________________________________ 16
4. Drive System _________________________________________________________________ 16
5. Circuitry _____________________________________________________________________ 17
6. Communication _______________________________________________________________ 17
7. Flight Stability Control Software Algorithm _________________________________________ 17
8. Collision Avoidance ____________________________________________________________ 18
9. Video _______________________________________________________________________ 18
10. Global Positioning _____________________________________________________________ 18
11. Requirements Change __________________________________________________________ 18
VI. Aeronautical Design ______________________________________________20
A. Thrust __________________________________________________________20
B. Flight Mechanics (Rigid Body Dynamics) ____________________________20
C. Stability ________________________________________________________21
D. Aerodynamics ___________________________________________________22
VII. Motor Thrust Testing ______________________________________________23
A. Thrust __________________________________________________________23
ii
VIII. Electrical Design _________________________________________________26
A. Block Diagram ___________________________________________________27
B. Battery _________________________________________________________28
C. Voltage Regulation _______________________________________________29
D. Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) __________________________________29
E. Motors _________________________________________________________30
F. Single Board Computer (SBC) _____________________________________31
G. Central Processing Unit (CPU), Chipset & RAM ______________________31
H. IDE Flash Drive & MicroSD Flash Drive _____________________________32
I. Wireless Communications _________________________________________32
J. Video Camera ___________________________________________________33
K. Global Positioning System (GPS) ___________________________________33
L. Microcontroller Unit (MCU) _______________________________________34
M. Inertia Measurement Unit (IMU) ___________________________________34
N. Sonar __________________________________________________________36
O. Servo ___________________________________________________________36
P. Computer Aided Design & Manufacturing ___________________________37
Q. Power Budget ___________________________________________________37
IX. Electrical Testing _________________________________________________39
A. Power Supply ____________________________________________________39
1. Battery ______________________________________________________________________ 39
2. Voltage Regulation ____________________________________________________________ 39
B. Drive System ____________________________________________________40
1. Motors ______________________________________________________________________ 40
iii
2. Electronic Speed Controllers _____________________________________________________ 40
C. Avionics ________________________________________________________40
1. SBC (CPU, Chipset, RAM, Flash, and Graphics) _____________________________________ 40
2. Wireless _____________________________________________________________________ 41
3. Video _______________________________________________________________________ 41
4. GPS ________________________________________________________________________ 41
5. MCU _______________________________________________________________________ 41
6. Accelerometer ________________________________________________________________ 41
7. Gyroscope ___________________________________________________________________ 41
8. Pressure Sensor (altimeter) ______________________________________________________ 42
9. Compass _____________________________________________________________________ 42
10. Sonar _______________________________________________________________________ 42
X. Mechanical Design _______________________________________________43
A. Computer Aided Design Drawings __________________________________43
B. Materials _______________________________________________________43
C. Manufacturing___________________________________________________44
D. Weight Budget ___________________________________________________44
XI. Mechanical Testing _______________________________________________45
A. Deflection _______________________________________________________45
B. Weight _________________________________________________________45
XII. Software Design __________________________________________________45
A. Requirements____________________________________________________46
B. Embedded Software Source File Relationship _________________________48
iv
1. Main ________________________________________________________________________ 49
2. Board Support Package (BSP) ____________________________________________________ 49
3. Scheduler ____________________________________________________________________ 49
4. Logger ______________________________________________________________________ 52
5. Accelerometer ________________________________________________________________ 52
6. Gyroscope ___________________________________________________________________ 54
7. Compass _____________________________________________________________________ 54
8. Altimeter ____________________________________________________________________ 54
9. Sonar _______________________________________________________________________ 55
10. Flight Controller _______________________________________________________________ 56
11. User Input Output Processor _____________________________________________________ 58
12. Moving Average Filter __________________________________________________________ 58
13. Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) Controllers ____________________________________ 59
C. MCU Utilization _________________________________________________62
D. Application Software Component Diagram ___________________________63
E. Operating System (OS) ____________________________________________64
F. Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) ____________________________________64
G. Application Software Objects ______________________________________64
1. Graphic User Interface (GUI) ____________________________________________________ 64
2. Video _______________________________________________________________________ 66
3. Map and GPS _________________________________________________________________ 66
4. Attitude Gauge ________________________________________________________________ 66
5. Avionics Driver _______________________________________________________________ 66
v