Wash UAV in Action

This is a mixed video of the Wash UAV from WashU in Saint Louis. It demonstrates all of the features of the WashUAV. It Shows the Helicopter autonomously moving forward backward, left and right. It shows the proximity sensors throttle control, and the Honeywell, compasses rudder control!

It also demonstrates the spectacular crash from the first test flight of the WashUAV!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• WashUAV
• Wash UAV
• WashU AV
• Blade CX2
• Autonomous Blade CX2
• Autonomous Helicopter
• Blade 400
• B400
• Arduino
• Sparkfun

[seanreynoldscs]

Yeah, I am just using proportional control. I agree that a more robust system would help.

a) the arduino is already out of its 1k of ram, b) When i put an integral control on it, it responds badly to lag in the system, ESP when I am holding it for instance.

I need to read more, but I have a new video (not up) where it hovers pretty dead on, but still has oscillation in its Cyclic controls. I'm working on dampening that out, and will present a new video of it hovering for 6 min till it dies.

[seanreynoldscs]

the helicopter has a built in gyro for heading, but as you say: without the compass, it will go off course.

Actually, when it bounces in the end of this video, the power comes unplugged from the compass, and you can SEE what it does without the compass.

[seanreynoldscs]

I have in mind to re-evaluate that approach, but I think no matter what algorithms I use, the IMU will always need redundancy to cut down the error. AND redundancy is something this helicopter just cant carry.

Thoughts?

[seanreynoldscs]

In the end, I spent all of the first semester and part of this semester on this approach before determining that whilst this may offer the smoothest feedback, errors will multiply due to the fact that its not a snapshot of data, it relies on the correctness of previous information from the integration of the gyro.

[seanreynoldscs]

The solution I had was to snapshot the calibration on boot, then keep an offset calibration which is fed by the Gyros. But it cant just be the Gyro, it has to be the integration of the gyroscopic force felt.

[seanreynoldscs]

Yeah That was actually my first approach. The problem I had with it was the Accelerometer readings were over powered by the reading of orientation to the earths gravity. The acclerometer was never perfectly level, and the readings from say moving to the right, and tilting to the right offset.

[deadking13]

CHAOS! xD

[webmax86]

can you give me some more information of the electronic connection between the µC and the blade?! do you override the ppm signal? or how does it work...

[KNWQA]

good job! Hope you make a masterpiece!

[brandance]

Are you just using proportional control with your sensor inputs, or are you using something more robust? It looks like your system has some overshoot and oscillation problems that simple proportional control will never be able to correct since the system is highly nonlinear. Did you use an IMU gyro or an RC gyro? An RC gyro seems like it would be a drop in solution to correct for short term heading adjustments while the compass fixes the long term adjustments.