Amzari Zhahir

UAV State Estimation Modeling Techniques in AHRS

Autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system is depending on state estimation feedback to control flight operation. Estimation on the correct state improves navigation accuracy and achieves flight mission safely. One of the sensors configuration used in UAV state is Attitude Heading and Reference System (AHRS) with application of Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) or feedback controller. The results of these two different techniques in estimating UAV states in AHRS configuration are displayed through position and attitude graphs.

Analysis of UAV state estimation modeling based on AHRS and INS configurations

State estimation for unmanned aerial vehicle is one of the important components in autonomous UAV. There are several techniques and algorithms used in estimating UAV states depend on the applied sensors. Inertial measurement unit (IMU) based attitude heading and reference system (AHRS) and complete inertial navigation system (INS) are the common navigation sensors used for UAV today. The differences between these two configurations in estimating UAV states are analyzed in this paper using state estimation modeling in Matlab environment. The results are displayed through UAV position and attitude graphs.

Flight Data Monitoring/Tracker System for Search and Rescue Mission

Traditionally, Kalman Filter is used for the purpose of mixing several input signals and extracting a more reliable output, which greatly benefits aircraft navigation. This paper considers a fusion of four sensor systems: Global Positioning System (GPS), accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer. The resultant device, known as Starfish Main Tracking Unit (MTU), is a Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) / Tracking System equipment that uses General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) / Iridium / ICS (Internet Communications Services), which provides low cost telemetry as well as multiple solutions for global flight following and flight data transfer between aircraft and ground. Users from ground are able to monitor their fleet, configure their systems and also generate various flight reports from a single web-based interface, named the Starfish Fleet Management system. This developed system complements the Black Box by downloading limited aircraft data to the ground, provides real time tracking and assist in Search and Rescue (SAR) mission.

Computational Approach in Sizing of Pulsejet Engine

Research in pulsejet has intensified recently due to its design simplicity that can be developed into efficient small scale propulsive units for new applications such as UAVs and Unmanned Combat Vehicles (UCAV). A major obstacle for its development is low efficiency of the engine. The objective of this research is to investigate the possibility of using pulsejet in certain applications where the pulsejet can trade its low efficiency with low cost, simple design, and light weight. Numerical analysis is used for analysing the pulsejet engine design. The main results drawn from this research is in increasing efficiency and improving performance of engine by improving size of engine, especially diameter of combustion chamber. The computed results show good resemblance with published data.

Stores Separation Simulation Development: A Roadmap to System Realisation via Intelligent Data Management System

An Intelligent-Data Management System (IDMS) for store separation analysis has been developed for Stores Separation Simulation program. The characteristics of the IDMS generically focuses on gathering, collecting, analysing, reporting, summarising and visualising validated data prior separation activity in simulated environment. The components of IDMS are Aircraft Configuration, Interface Configuration, Stores Geometry, Pylon Configuration and Cube (a multi-dimensional visibility of Form, Fit and Function stores-platform Data Verifier). Overall, this project combined information from separation patterns analysis by integrating multi-dimensional databases, systematic-data orchestration; rules based data mining for stores separation verifier into one data management system. This paper presents the program review of overall store separation simulation program.

The Development of GPS Navigation Systems in Civil Aircraft

The industry of civil aviation is developing in a fast manner to occupy the increasing needs for a fast, safe and comfortable transportation. To achieve these needs, some effective programs, plans, and systems designs are required. The current reliable aircraft navigation and landing systems have relatively a low level of accuracy especially in aircraft landing stage. The best landing category could be achieved requires a runway visual range up to 50 meters and automatic landing system is not in operation yet all over the world. Aircraft navigates using Radar, Radio and Satellite navigation systems. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to replace legacy navigation systems with satellite based navigation technology. Currently, the Global Positioning System (GPS) and its augmentations is the main satellite navigation system used all over the world for air navigation applications. The development of aircraft navigation has been performed with the enhancement of GPS augmentation systems. In this paper, aircraft navigation systems and techniques will be presented in this paper to evaluate the integrity and reliability of each system, and to make a comparison among these systems according to accuracy, integrity and availability.

A Modular Framework for a Bus Monitoring & Passenger Notification System

Vehicle tracking is a very powerful ingredient in developing location based services such as passenger notification system. It provides value to passenger and gives tools for analysis, evaluation, and management strategies for businesses. A major challenge is for businesses to implement such systems. Tracking systems are either too simple to do the task or too complex and expensive to develop. In this paper a flexible and scalable system design for building such solutions is proposed using University Putra Malaysia (UPM) student bus scheme. System specifications has been calculated, designed and simulated providing an efficient system with the capabilities of monitoring buses, inform student with current bus location and time to arrive and also send phone messages and e-mails to students upon request.

Investigating Imperfect Inspection of Avionics System and its Relationship with Availability Percentage

System maintenance is necessary to prolong the operational life of a system. There are four types of maintenance policies which are corrective, preventive, scheduled and predictive (conditioning based maintenance). However, this paper focuses on preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance policies. In general, the goal of preventive maintenance is to retain the system at its good operating conditions before the occurrence of any failure while corrective maintenance is done as a result of the system’s operating failure. This paper investigates the effects of maintenance activities for Engine Indication and Flight Instruments subsystems of the avionics system of a general aircraft. The simulation of the maintenance process is done using Monte Carlo and Discrete Event simulation methods for different preventive maintenance interval (PMI).

Three dimensional path planning algorithm for small UAVs incorporating existing dynamic soaring heuristics

An area under consideration of improving the mission effectiveness of small-scale, autonomous Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has been the increase of speed. One method is to incorporate dynamic slope soaring maneuvers as part of the flight path during waypoint navigation. Research into autonomous dynamic soaring capability in small-scale UAVs began with selecting a suitable maneuver heuristic. The output from the heuristic model has then been used to formulate a non-iterative trajectory forming algorithm. By utilizing Dubin’s curves, a viable trajectory can be generated between the exit point of the dynamic soaring maneuver and the next waypoint. The result is a complete, easily implemented three-dimensional autonomous dynamic soaring capability.

Comparative Study on Aircraft Landing Instruments: Accuracies and Limitations

A normal aircraft flight includes taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, precision approach and finally landing. This study focuses on landing where the aircraft returns to the ground safely. In low visibility conditions, when pilots are unable to see the runway, the aircraft can always be diverted to another airport. However, low visibility can also affect all airports in the vicinity, forcing aircrafts to land in low visibility conditions depending on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). Many countries have employed the landing systems because of inaccuracy, unreliability and dependency of Visual Flight Rules (VFR). In this paper, aircraft landing systems accuracies and limitations will be studied and compared for the purpose of assessing the best possible system currently available that can be achieved and implemented.