Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T12:18:31.949Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The development of a target-lock-on optical remote sensing system for unmanned aerial vehicles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

F-B Hsiao ,
T-L Liu ,
Y-H Chien ,
M-T Lee  and
R. Hirst
F-B Hsiao
Affiliation:
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
T-L Liu
Affiliation:
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Y-H Chien
Affiliation:
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
M-T Lee
Affiliation:
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
R. Hirst
Affiliation:
JPBH Consulting, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in various military and civil applications is the subject of much current attention. With recent developments in personal computer technology, and the availability at affordable cost of peripherals, and electronic and optical sensors, UAVs for long endurance missions, with flight autonomy beyond the visual range, have become an attractive challenge for study in universities and research institutes. This paper describes the development of a target-lock-on optical remote sensing system to be used as a payload in a university-class UAV. To accomplish autonomous way-point navigation for the conduct of optical sensing surveillance, a gimbaled-platform with servo control and an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) navigation system for UAV position and attitude measurements have been developed. The UAV also utilises a Global Position System (GPS) receiver, a pressure altimeter, gyroscopes and an electric compass. A novel mathematical model is proposed to calculate the optimal parameters for orientating the CCD camera line of sight with a ground target, designated in real time from a ground control station. Both ground and flight test results have demonstrated the feasibility of the navigation control scheme and the UAV’s ability to conduct ground target acquisition and image transmission.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 110 , Issue 1105 , March 2006 , pp. 163 - 172
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2006 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. http://gpsuav.stanford.edu/ Google Scholar
2. http://www.aero.usyd.edu.au/wwwdocs/uav.html/ Google Scholar
3. http://www.aero.rmit.edu.au/Wackett/UAV/Sarus-Introduction.html/ Google Scholar
4. Johnson, E.N., Hart, M.G. and Christopherson, H.B., Development of an autonomous aerial reconnaissance system at Georgia Tech, Proceedings of the AIAA 1st Technical Conference and Workshop on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Systems, Technologies and Operations, Portsmouth, Virginia, 20-23 May, 2002.Google Scholar
5. Guan, W.L., Hsiao, F.B., Ho, C.S. and Huang, J.M., Development of low-cost differential global positioning system for remotely piloted vehicles, J Aircr, July-August 1999, 36, (4), pp 617–617.Google Scholar
6. Hsiao, F.B. and Lee, M.T., System engineering and practice in aircraft design for aerospace education, UNESCO 4th Annual Conference on Engineering Education, Bangkok, Thailand, 7-10 February 2001.Google Scholar
7. Hsiao, F. B.and Lee, M.T., The development of unmanned aerial vehicle in RMRL/NCKU, 4th Pacific International Conference on Aerospace Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 21-23 May, 2001.Google Scholar
8. Hsiao, F.B., Lee, M.T., Chien, Y.H., Chang, W.Y., Liu, T.L. and Payne, Y.J., The development of a low cost autonomous surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle system, December 2003, Transactions of The Aeronautical and Astronautical Society of Republic of China, 35, (4), pp 307–307.Google Scholar
9. Guan, W.L., Hsiao, F.B., Ho, C.S. and Huang, J.M. Estimation of longitudinal aerodynamic parameters by differential GPS/EKF techniques, AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Portland, Oregon, AIAA-99-4177, 9-11 August 1999, pp 512–512.Google Scholar
10. Lin, Y.R., Lu, W.C., Yang, M.H., and Hsiao, F.B., The development of a low-cost navigation system using GPS/RDS technology, 22nd International Congress of Aeronautical Sciences, Harrogate, UK. ICAS-2000-7.6.3, 27 August – 1 September 2000.Google Scholar
11. Hsiao, F.B. and Fang, K.J., Real time attitude determination of remotely piloted vehicle using GPS Doppler velocity measurements, September 2002, Transactions of The Aeronautical and Astronautical Society of Republic of China, 34, (2), pp 135–135.Google Scholar
12. Hsiao, F.B, Lin, K.W, Lee, M.T, Chang, W.Y, Chao, C.T and Lin, C.F., The design of stability control system and constructing simple navigation system for long endurance autonomous UAV, AIAA 1st Technical and Conference Workshop on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Portsmouth Virginia, 20-23 May, 2002.Google Scholar
13. Hsiao, F.B., Lin, K.W., Lee, M.T. and Chang, W.Y., The development of a low-cost MEMS gyroscope/GPS navigation system for unmanned aerial vehicle, 18th Bristol International UAV Systems Conference, 31 March – 2 April 2003.Google Scholar
14. Skoglar, P., Modeling and control of IR/EO-gimbal for UAV surveillance application, Electrical Engineering, Linkoping Institude of Technology, June 2002.Google Scholar
15. Niculescu, M., Sensor fusion algorithms for unmanned air vehicles, Aerosonde Robotic Aircraft, November 2001.Google Scholar
16. Marins, J.L., Yun, X., Bachmann, E.R., McGhee, R.B. and Zyda, M.J., An extended Kalman Filter for quaternion-based orientation estimation using MARG sensors, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, 2001.Google Scholar
17. Baerveldt, A.J. and Klang, R., A low-cost and low-weight attitude estimation system for an autonomous helicopters, INES ´97, Budapest, Hungary, September 1997.Google Scholar
18. Garmin International Inc., http://www.garmin.com/ Google Scholar
19. UNAV, LLC., http://www.u-nav.com/ Google Scholar
20. Murata Electronics North America, Inc., http://www.murata.com/ Google Scholar
21. Nelson, R., Flight Stability and Automatic Control, 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill International Editions, 1998.Google Scholar
22. PNI Corporation, http://www.pnicorp.com Google Scholar
23. FreeWave Technologies, www.freewave.com/ Google Scholar
24. Kolnick, F., The QNX4 Real-time Operating System, Basis Computer Systems Inc., 1998 (ISBN 0-921960-01-8).Google Scholar