Characterization of Small-Scale Turbochargers for Unmanned Aerial Systems

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark R. Mataczynski ◽  
Paul Litke ◽  
Benjamin Naguy ◽  
Jacob Baranski
Keyword(s):  
Small Scale ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Aerial Systems

scholarly journals Experimental Comparison of Direct and Active Throttle Control of a 7 kW Turboelectric Power System for Unmanned Aircraft

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 10608
Author(s):  
Johnathan Burgess ◽  
Timothy Runnels ◽  
Joshua Johnsen ◽  
Joshua Drake ◽  
Kurt Rouser
Keyword(s):  
Transient Behavior ◽  
Unmanned Aircraft ◽  
Experimental Comparison ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Operational Parameters ◽  
Turbine Engine ◽  
Control Scheme ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Electric Loads

This article compares direct turbine throttle control and active turbine throttle control for a turboelectric system; the featured turboprop is rated for 7 kW of shaft output power. The powerplant is intended for applications in unmanned aerial systems and requires a control system to produce different amounts of power for varying mission legs. The most straightforward control scheme explored is direct turbine control, which is characterized by the pilot controlling the throttle of the turbine engine. In contrast, active control is characterized by the turbine reacting to the power demanded by the electric motors or battery recharge cycle. The transient response to electric loads of a small-scale turboelectric system is essential in identifying and characterizing such a system’s safe operational parameters. This paper directly compares the turbogenerator’s transient behavior to varying electric loads and categorizes its dynamic response. A proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) control algorithm was utilized as an active throttle controller through a microcontroller with battery power augmentation for the turboelectric system. This controller manages the turbine’s throttle reactions in response to any electric load when applied or altered. By comparing the system’s response with and without the controller, the authors provide a method to safely minimize the response time of the active throttle controller for use in the real-world environment of unmanned aircraft.

scholarly journals Unmanned Aerial Systems for Investigating the Polar Atmospheric Boundary Layer—Technical Challenges and Examples of Applications

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid Lampert ◽  
Barbara Altstädter ◽  
Konrad Bärfuss ◽  
Lutz Bretschneider ◽  
Jesper Sandgaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Atmospheric Boundary Layer ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
The Impact

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) fill a gap in high-resolution observations of meteorological parameters on small scales in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Especially in the remote polar areas, there is a strong need for such detailed observations with different research foci. In this study, three systems are presented which have been adapted to the particular needs for operating in harsh polar environments: The fixed-wing aircraft M 2 AV with a mass of 6 kg, the quadrocopter ALICE with a mass of 19 kg, and the fixed-wing aircraft ALADINA with a mass of almost 25 kg. For all three systems, their particular modifications for polar operations are documented, in particular the insulation and heating requirements for low temperatures. Each system has completed meteorological observations under challenging conditions, including take-off and landing on the ice surface, low temperatures (down to −28 ∘ C), icing, and, for the quadrocopter, under the impact of the rotor downwash. The influence on the measured parameters is addressed here in the form of numerical simulations and spectral data analysis. Furthermore, results from several case studies are discussed: With the M 2 AV, low-level flights above leads in Antarctic sea ice were performed to study the impact of areas of open water within ice surfaces on the ABL, and a comparison with simulations was performed. ALICE was used to study the small-scale structure and short-term variability of the ABL during a cruise of RV Polarstern to the 79 ∘ N glacier in Greenland. With ALADINA, aerosol measurements of different size classes were performed in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, in highly complex terrain. In particular, very small, freshly formed particles are difficult to monitor and require the active control of temperature inside the instruments. The main aim of the article is to demonstrate the potential of UAS for ABL studies in polar environments, and to provide practical advice for future research activities with similar systems.

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 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)-Based Methods for Solar Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) Retrieval with Non-Imaging Spectrometers: State of the Art

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Quirós Vargas ◽  
Juliane Bendig ◽  
Alasdair Mac Arthur ◽  
Andreas Burkart ◽  
Tommaso Julitta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chlorophyll Fluorescence ◽  
Atmospheric Correction ◽  
Physiological Status ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Open Research ◽  
Calibration Methods ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Aerial Systems

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) information offers a deep insight into the plant physiological status by reason of the close relationship it has with the photosynthetic activity. The unmanned aerial systems (UAS)-based assessment of solar induced ChlF (SIF) using non-imaging spectrometers and radiance-based retrieval methods, has the potential to provide spatio-temporal photosynthetic performance information at field scale. The objective of this manuscript is to report the main advances in the development of UAS-based methods for SIF retrieval with non-imaging spectrometers through the latest scientific contributions, some of which are being developed within the frame of the Training on Remote Sensing for Ecosystem Modelling (TRuStEE) program. Investigations from the Universities of Edinburgh (School of Geosciences) and Tasmania (School of Technology, Environments and Design) are first presented, both sharing the principle of the spectroradiometer optical path bifurcation throughout, the so called ‘Piccolo-Doppio’ and ‘AirSIF’ systems, respectively. Furthermore, JB Hyperspectral Devices’ ongoing investigations towards the closest possible characterization of the atmospheric interference suffered by orbital platforms are outlined. The latest approach focuses on the observation of one single ground point across a multiple-kilometer atmosphere vertical column using the high altitude UAS named as AirFloX, mounted on a specifically designed and manufactured fixed wing platform: ‘FloXPlane’. We present technical details and preliminary results obtained from each instrument, a summary of their main characteristics, and finally the remaining challenges and open research questions are addressed. On the basis of the presented findings, the consensus is that SIF can be retrieved from low altitude spectroscopy. However, the UAS-based methods for SIF retrieval still present uncertainties associated with the current sensor characteristics and the spatio-temporal mismatching between aerial and ground measurements, which complicate robust validations. Complementary studies regarding the standardization of calibration methods and the characterization of spectroradiometers and data processing workflows are also required. Moreover, other open research questions such as those related to the implementation of atmospheric correction, bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) correction, and accurate surface elevation models remain to be addressed.

UAS-Derived Surficial Deformation around the Epicenter of the 2016 Mw 5.8 Pawnee, Oklahoma, USA, Earthquake

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-462
Author(s):  
Olufeyisayo Ilesanmi ◽  
Xue Liang ◽  
Francisca E. Oboh-Ikuenobe ◽  
J. David Rogers ◽  
Mohamed Abdelsalam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Scale ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Cumulative Energy ◽  
Maximum Deformation ◽  
Impedance Contrast ◽  
Metamorphic Basement ◽  
Surface Models ◽  
Seismic Swarms ◽  
Wrench Fault ◽  
Aerial Systems

ABSTRACT Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) provide a framework for recording perishable surficial data or information. Open fractures exhibiting regular en-echelon patterns were captured by a 12-megapixel, FL-9 mm camera attached to a Phantom IV UAS over the epicenter of the magnitude (Mw) 5.8 earthquake of September 3, 2016, 15 months later. The Digital Surface Models (DSMs) and orthoimagery offered a spatial resolution (∼1 cm) sufficient to identify small-scale plastic deformations that appear to be controlled by en-echelon joint sets developed in the underlying formation. The fissure boundaries and intersections are remarkably linear and sharp. They appeared to have been recently formed, presumably by seismic swarms believed to have been associated with wastewater injection. The DSMs revealed a series of conjugate patterns suggestive of regional systematic joints with apparent subsidence of infilling up to 50 cm. The earthquakes emanated from the Precambrian metamorphic basement, with epicentral clusters at ∼5- and 8-km depths. Low energy release from depths >1.5 km appears to be locally attenuated by an unconsolidated “soil cap,” which likely formed an impedance contrast. The maximum deformation direction from the cumulative energy of earthquakes correlates with a wrench fault tectonics model that could conceivably produce the observed en-echelon joint sets observed in the orthoimagery and DSMs. These features were observed within 275 m of the reported Mw 5.8 epicenter. The remarkably linear repeating pattern of deformation appears to express fissures that preserve the wrench fault fractures generated by the Mw 5.8 earthquake emanating from discontinuity suites within marine sandstone, shale, and limestone of Pennsylvanian to Permian age.

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.

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