scholarly journals Preliminary Results of a Hybrid Thermoelectric Propulsion System for a Multirotor UAS with Active Rectifying, Electronic Throttle Control and Supercapacitors

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 7899
Author(s):  
Manés F. Cabanas ◽  
Salvador B. Duque ◽  
Juan D. González ◽  
Francisco P. González ◽  
María G. Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Power ◽  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Low Thrust ◽  
Electronic Throttle ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Ground Station ◽  
Aerial Systems

The main drawback of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) is that almost their entire field of application is autonomous in terms of energy. Flights beyond 50 min are nearly impossible when using conventional energy storage systems (lithium-ion polymer or lithium-ion batteries). Several commercial products have been developed using hybrid systems (H-UAS). Although the improvement they have provided is undeniable, H-UAS in the present market are strongly limited by their low thrust vs. weight ratio, which is caused by limited electrical power generation and a non-optimal energy conversion with relatively low efficiencies. This paper reviews these systems to show the preliminary results of a prototype of hybrid generator which state-of-the-art electronics as well as a new approach using a supercapacitor (SC) array are used to save fuel, increase the thrust vs. weight ratio, optimize losses during conversion and prevent the overheating of the internal combustion unit (ICU). Whereas current generators mostly operate with the ICU at a constant speed, delivering maximum power, the presented prototype includes a throttle control system, and the engine works with a variable regime according to the power demand. Thus, fuel consumption is reduced, as well as heating and wear. The lifespan of the engine is also increased, and the time between maintenance operations is lengthened. The designed system provides almost twice the power of the hybrid current generators. The reduction in the RPM regime of the engine is achieved by means of a supercapacitor array that provides the necessary energy to keep the DC output power constant during the engine acceleration when the flight envelope experiences a perturbation or a sudden manoeuvre is performed by the pilot. To obtain maximum efficiency, the diode rectifiers and conventional converters used in the reviewed products are replaced by synchronous converters and rectifiers. The whole system is controlled by means of a FPGA where a specific control loop has been implemented for every device: ICU’s throttle, DC bus converter, charge and discharge of the SC’s array, cooling and monitoring of temperature for the cylinders heads, and on-line transmission, by means of a XBEE™ module, of all the monitored data to the flight ground station.

scholarly journals Advanced Software Ground Station and UAV Development for NLoS Control Using Mobile Communications

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amr AbdElHamid ◽  
Peng Zong ◽  
Bassant Abdelhamid
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Communications ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Weather Forecast ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Ground Station ◽  
Commercial Off The Shelf ◽  
End Node ◽  
Aerial Systems

Over the last decades, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) have gained much attention due to their various applications in different sections. However, their communication range is limited to utilized communication equipment. Therefore, utilization of GSM channels opens a new prospect towards long distance UAV missions and mobile command and control centers. This paper demonstrates new design and development of a small-scale UAV and a Ground Control Station (GCS) using GSM bidirectional communications for Non-Line of Sight (NLoS) long range control. GCSs are considered the front end node in UAV guidance process. Therefore, the proposed GCS employs a two-layer framework to consider all ground pilot requirements. Moreover, a new exploitation of global weather forecast data is added to the GCS. On the other hand, the proposed airborne system utilizes a new integration of different Commercial off-the-Shelf (COTS) components and excludes short range receivers. The ground and flight tests show that stable bidirectional GSM communication is established, reliable hardware integration is accomplished, real time performance is achieved, GCS functional fidelity is obtained, and low cost is maintained. Finally, some qualitative aspects of the proposed platform are presented to address the detailed features.

scholarly journals Application of Miniaturized Sensors to Unmanned Aerial Systems, A New Pathway for the Survey of Polluted Areas: Preliminary Results

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Fumian ◽  
Daniele Di Giovanni ◽  
Luca Martellucci ◽  
Riccardo Rossi ◽  
Pasqualino Gaudio
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Standoff Detection ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Aerial Systems

With the aim to have risk mitigation for people and first responders, active remote sensing standoff detection is a fruitful technology, both in case of accidental (natural or incidental) or intentional dispersion in the environment of volatile chemical substances. Nowadays, several laser-based methodologies could be put in place to perform extensive areal monitoring. The present study regards the proposal for a new system architecture derived from the integration of a low-cost laser-based network of detectors for pollutants interfaced with a more sophisticated layout mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) able to identify the nature and the amount of a release. With this system set up, the drone will be activated by the alarm triggered by the laser-based network when anomalies are detected. The area will be explored by the drone with a more accurate set of sensors for identification to validate the detection of the network of Lidar systems and to sample the substance in the focus zone for subsequent analysis. In this work, methodologies and requirements for the standoff detection and the identification features chosen for this integrated system are described. The work aims at the definition of a new approach to the problem through the integration of different technologies and tools in the operative field experiments. Some preliminary results in support of the suitability of the integration hypothesis proposed are presented. This study gives rise to an integrated system to be furtherly tested in a real environment.

Microraptor: A Low-Cost Autonomous Quadrotor System

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamah A. Rawashdeh ◽  
Hong Chul Yang ◽  
Rami D. AbouSleiman ◽  
Belal H. Sababha
Keyword(s):  
Data Exchange ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Ground Station ◽  
Custom Made ◽  
System Operator ◽  
Path Navigation ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Quadrotor System

This paper describes Microraptor, a complete low-cost autonomous quadrotor system designed for surveillance and reconnaissance applications. The Microraptor ground station is custom-made and features a graphical user interface that presents and allows the manipulation of various flight parameters. The aerial vehicle is a 4-rotor vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle that features the advantages of traditional helicopters with significant reduction in mechanical complexity. The vehicle frame is a handmade magnesium and carbon fiber structure. The onboard avionics system is a custom dual processor design capable of autonomous path navigation and data exchange with the ground station. The vehicle is outfitted with a video and still-photo system that provides real-time images to the system operator through the GUI. The system is being developed at Oakland University by a team of multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate engineering students. Microraptor placed 5th at the 2008 Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Competition and is set to compete again in June of 2009.

Chemical and Radiological Sensors Integration in Unmanned Aerial Systems with ATEX Compliance

2021 ◽  
Vol 893 ◽  
pp. 17-27
Author(s):  
Júlio Gouveia-Carvalho ◽  
Wilson Talhão Antunes ◽  
Tiago Gonçalves ◽  
Victor Lobo ◽  
Filipe Duarte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Project Description ◽  
Technological Developments ◽  
Aerial Systems

Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats pose many challenges to address in terms of reconnaissance, detection, personnel protection and countermeasures comprising a common set of techniques and procedures that fit in the concept of “all hazard” approach. The scientific and technological developments that led to the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in an ubiquitous manner, enables its integration in CBRN operations, as sensors platforms for detection. In this scope, the GammaEx project targets to validate the concepts of operation using a specifically developed UAS with ATmosphères EXplosives (ATEX) compliance, equipped with chemical and radiological sensors for detection in CBRN scenarios. This paper aims to review the main concepts and challenges involving the sensors integration in UAS for specific CBRN environments considering the ATEX compliance, followed by the GammaEx project description and the presentation of the preliminary results of the laboratory and field comparative assays concerning the specifically developed sensors for the project and the commercial of the shelf sensors, follow on activities and future trends.

LIGHTER-THAN-AIR (LTA) UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM (UAS) CARRIER CONCEPT FOR SURVAILLANCE AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1255
Author(s):  
Ahmad Salahuddin Mohd Harithuddin ◽  
Mohd Fazri Sedan ◽  
Syaril Azrad Md Ali ◽  
Shattri Mansor ◽  
Hamid Reza Jifroudi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Disaster Management ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Unmanned Aerial System ◽  
Border Control ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Operational Safety ◽  
In Situ Methods ◽  
Aerial Systems

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) has many advantages in the fields of SURVAILLANCE and disaster management compared to space-borne observation, manned missions and in situ methods. The reasons include cost effectiveness, operational safety, and mission efficiency. This has in turn underlined the importance of UAS technology and highlighted a growing need in a more robust and efficient unmanned aerial vehicles to serve specific needs in SURVAILLANCE and disaster management. This paper first gives an overview on the framework for SURVAILLANCE particularly in applications of border control and disaster management and lists several phases of SURVAILLANCE and service descriptions. Based on this overview and SURVAILLANCE phases descriptions, we show the areas and services in which UAS can have significant advantage over traditional methods.

Beach and dune impacts due to Hurricane Florence in Dare County, North Carolina

Shore & Beach ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 44-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Sciaudone ◽  
Liliana Velasquez-Montoya
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
State University ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Sediment Samples ◽  
Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Full Report ◽  
Aerial Systems

Less than two weeks after Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina (NC), a team of researchers from NC State University traveled to Dare County to investigate the storm’s effects on beaches and dunes. Using available post-storm imagery and prior knowledge of vulnerabilities in the system, the team identified several locations to visit in the towns of Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Rodanthe, Buxton, and Hatteras, as well as a number of locations within the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge (Figure 1). Data collected included topographic profiles, still imagery and video from unmanned aerial systems, sediment samples, and geo-located photography. This Coastal Observations piece presents some of the data and photos collected; the full report is available online (Sciaudone et al. 2019), and data collected will be made available to interested researchers upon request.

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