Daniel Ołdziej

Fixed-Wing UAVs Flock Control through Cohesion and Repulsion Behaviours Combined with a Leadership

The aim of this paper is to present a novel approach to swarm control of small fixed-wing UAVs, which combines only two flocking behaviours with a leadership feature. In the presented approach, two fundamental rules of Reynolds flocking are applied, i.e., cohesion and repulsion, as the base of a decentralized control of self-organization of the flock. These rules are combined with a leadership feature, which is responsible for a global behaviour of guidance, as in the case of animals. Such a bio-inspired combination allows the achievement of a coherent collective flight of a flock of fixed-wing UAVs without applying formal behaviours of migration and alignment. This highly simplifies an implementation of the algorithm. The presented results include both numerical simulations and experimental flights, which validate the hardware implementation of the approach.

Flocking Algorithm for Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The problem of swarms autonomous flying has been extensively studied for many years, giving a variety of great applications and contributing a lot of knowledge to the theory of swarms. In many cases, the researchers try to imitate animals which are perfectly adopted to moving collectively. Therefore, it would be a great idea to create a flock of UAVs flying like a herd of pigeons. Hence, the paper presents the algorithm of aerial flocking, which is a step towards this idea. The algorithm assumes a hierarchical and decentralized structure of the flock based on two flocking rules: of cohesion and repulsion. These rules of aerial flocking combined with the leadership in the flock, similarly as it is in a herd of pigeons, allow achieving a coherent swarm of fixed-wing UAVs. To prove this conclusion, both numerical and experimental results are presented.

Modelling of Dynamic and Control of Six-Rotor Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

The paper describes matters of modeling and control of aerial vehicle in rotorcraft configuration. Equations of motion were derived and dynamic model of six-rotor was build. To find the best adjustment of model to real object the dynamics of the drives was joined to the control plant model. Trimming and linearization were performed. Open loop system and LQR controller were checked in simulation environment. Next the faults of the actuator/sensor elements were arranged and the minimal number of observed outputs and drives for LQR stabilization process were specified.

Integration and In-Field Gains Selection of Flight and Navigation Controller for Remotely Piloted Aircraft System

Abstract In the paper the implementation process of commercial flight and navigational controller in own aircraft is shown. The process of autopilot integration were performed for the fixed-wing type of unmanned aerial vehicle designed in high-wing and pull configuration of the drive. The above equipment were integrated and proper software control algorithms were chosen. The correctness of chosen hardware and software solution were verified in ground tests and experimental flights. The PID controllers for longitude and latitude controller channels were selected. The proper deflections of control surfaces and stabilization of roll, pitch and yaw angles were tested. In the next stage operation of telecommunication link and flight stabilization were verified. In the last part of investigations the preliminary control gains and configuration parameters for roll angle control loop were chosen. This enable better behavior of UAV during turns. Also it affected other modes of flight such as loiter (circle around designated point) and auto mode where the plane executed a pre-programmed mission.

Unmanned aerial vehicle as a measurement tool in engineering and environmental protection

The technology of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is becoming increasingly popular and used on daily basis. In the paper, the analysis of their use possibilities for the scope of engineering and environmental protection is shown. Moreover, current research, drone applications and measuring systems which use sensors for low particulates matter emission and gases measurements are presented. Next, an experiment with a chosen UAV with a mounted dedicated meter is shown. The meter (which consist of COTS elements) transmits data to a PC for processing. During the experiment the meter was used for air pollution measurements on different altitudes above a wastewater treatment plant. Basing on the results, particular solutions for the use of UAVs in engineering and environment protection were proposed.

MAVLink-based communication for air pollution measurement system

The article presents a system for the detection and analysis of airborne pollutants. The system relies on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV/RPAS) which enables air quality to be tested at different levels relative to the ground level. However, the UAV/RPAS is only a carrier for the designed AAM (Air Acquisition Module) measuring apparatus that is intended to measure air parameters, such as CO2 and PM contents, humidity, temperature, etc. All data is stored in the internal memory of the AAM measuring module for subsequent detailed analysis. An important added feature of the presented pollutant detection and analysis system is the capability to observe AAM measuring apparatus readings in real time on the screens of a Ground Control Station (GCS). This functionality is enabled thanks to wireless measurement data transmission using the standard UAV-GCS telemetric connection based on the MAVlink protocol. The article details individual components of the system and reports test results acquired from a measuring air raid made to determine the low-emission management of a single-family house located in a lightly urbanized extra-urban area.

Ground control station software design for micro aerial vehicles

This article describes the process of designing the equipment part and the software of a ground control station used for configuring and operating micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). All the works were conducted on a quadrocopter model being a commonly accessible commercial construction. This article contains a characteristics of the research object, the basics of operating the micro aerial vehicles (MAV) and presents components of the ground control station model. It also describes the communication standards for the purpose of building a model of the station. Further part of the work concerns the software of the product – the GIMSO application (Generally Interactive Station for Mobile Objects), which enables the user to manage the actions and communication and control processes from the UAV. The process of creating the software and the field tests of a station model are also presented in the article.

Identification of Gas Powered Motor Propulsion Group for small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The present work aims at the dynamics identification of gas powered motor propulsion applied in remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) of the small or medium class. In subsequent chapters, the criteria indicating the choice of an electric or a gas power system are described. Moreover, the classification and characteristics of gas powered motor propulsions are presented. The main body of the article contains a laboratory stand dedicated to test the fumes from the motor propulsions in order to measure their static and dynamic characteristics. A wireless solution of acquiring the measurement data from the laboratory stand reflecting real working conditions of the repulsion is suggested. In further parts, the dynamics identification is done, and the transfer function of the object is presented.

A laboratory stand for research concerning drive units applied in unmanned flying micro vehicles

This article presents a laboratory stand used for research concerning static and dynamic characteristics of MAV (micro air vehicle) drive units. An electric powered drive unit, applied in unmanned flying vehicles of short range was chosen as the research object. Such device consists of the following elements: acquisition and control unit, a variable frequency drive (VFD), an engine and a propeller. The article contains a description of the stand structure as well as the way of data acquisition and an example of its processing in the post-processing mode. Moreover, example tests and the results are presented here.