Wash Uav B400 Cyclic Control

This is a demonstration of the new platform for the Wash UAV. This platform uses a Blade 400 helicopter with a 3 servo cyclic control for the swash plate. We have it configured with an accelerometer acting as a controller for the helicopter. All of the processing is done through the Arduino Mini Atmel 168 and the laptop is only being used for debugging print statements. The Arduino Mini and the IMU 5 Degrees of Freedom Accelerometer Gyro Control unit are available at SparkFun.com

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Wash UAV
• Washington University
• WashU
• Blade 400
• B400
• Cyclic
• Blade Pitch
• Sean Reynolds

[N1xZer0]

Just from what I'm seeing in the video, it looks like the extra hardware you're using is doing the same function as the stock gyro. What other benefits does this system provide?

[seanreynoldscs]

@N1xZer0 So this is not a "SYSTEM" as you say...

The point was to demonstrate control over the larger cyclic heli.

The gyro and accelerometer would eventually be giving the embedded processor data it can use to correct (beyond what the gyro on board would do)

In actuality the gyro on board should actually be a compass.. My gyro doesnt even have force measurements in the axis of the stock gyro... A compass is a much better idea for that level of control... as long as you are on earth anyway.

[rodstartube]

Arduino plattform is not a good choice to develop an efficient uav due to null, innefficient compiling optimizations and weak processors. yes, it's dummies-proof (easy) and fast programming but you'll never get a realtime responsive system if you plan to apply Kalman filtering, PID algorithms and multi sensors to work together. Arduino is just usefull to impress your grandma and your friends. Try assembler or low level C, that way, your system will rock. (i wrote you this on other of your video)

[seanreynoldscs]

@rodstartube Thats not actually true. You dont know what youre talking about. An arduino has more processing power than the computers that launched the space shuttle in the 60's... so why dont you try to use it?

[qrrak]

where the hell did u learn them?

[seanreynoldscs]

@qrrak Concordia University: Computer Science, Physics and Mathematics

Washington University saint louis: Masters of Computer Science

and I learned alot from a little company in London named BBA-reman.

other than that... all the arduino stuff is self taught.

[rodstartube]

@seanreynoldscs If you want a really realtime UAV, PIC32 is a powerfull choice for demanding engineers, it provides DMA channels for direct memory access as UART, SPI, A/D without CPU intervention, 7 interrupt levels, DSP engine, real 32-bit processor up to 120 MIPS, an infinite more features, and it has a free compiler for begin to play with. That’s what I’m playing with now.

[rodstartube]

@seanreynoldscs I'm speaking about arduino as a software plattform, the high level functions for fast and easy development has the cost of poor compiling optimization. Yes in the 60's that computer was programmed in a low level hardware level languaje like assembler. It doesn't fit to me someone who says to be a master of computer science, be programming in a hobbist oriented plattform.

[kavic5150]

ok, so my choice of words was hasty. And its not a well educated person who often visits the ER. Just words of caution to all those "noob" pilots and/or parents who think these things are toys. My mom took one look at my gaui 550 and said "cute." Thanks mom.

[seanreynoldscs]

@kavic5150 Thanks for your concern. I'm still alive... I know the danger of something in the linkage coming loose and the blade flying through me...

But beyond that... baring mechanical failure... my code was not complex enough for a bug to kill me... and the helicopter was held down with blocks, so...

It was dangerous... but not as much as you make it sound.

[kavic5150]

No excuse for this kind of stupidity. Pilots like this one make us all look bad. Very dangerous