Large Dynamic Current Monitoring for UAV Steering Motor Using Twin Nonlinear Shunt

Steering motor is of vital importance in UAV’s health-monitoring system, to which its supply current is the most critical characteristic representing health statue of UAV. In order to conduct continuous measuring on the steering motor’s current of large dynamic range, in this paper, a current measurement method is therefore proposed on the basis of twin nonlinear shunt. The proposed method adopts the twin diode as the current sampling device, which not only realizes measurement range and relative constant resolution, but also ensures continuity of the measurement due to the eliminated operation of range switching. The associated diode is used to compensate the temperature of core temperature of the shunt diode, and to make the nonlinear-shunt more adaptive for the case of junction being heated under larger current. The working principle, real-time compensation method and circuit implementation of our method are discussed in detail. Experimental test results suggest that the measurement error of the proposed method is less than 4.5% when the measurement current varies between 10 mA to 10 A, maintaining the relative resolution at an almost constant level, while preventing the conventional method of frequent range switching from generating glitches. In addition to the ensured continuity, information-rich details of the current are sustained, contributing to the UAV’s health-monitoring system. The proposal can also be applied to other applications concerning large dynamic current detection, including, but not limited to, industrial control, motor control, etc.