Lab 1 was an introductory lab to the Unmanned Aerial Systems Capstone Course. The projects for the UAS Capstone include:
- Working in a mock up of a search and rescue operation
- Evaluation of UAS platforms, sensor qualities and abilities
- Comparing PPK Data with UAS data on differing platforms
- Assessing how altitude can impact quality of data colleciton by sensor with UAS platforms
- Mapping the entire Martell Forest
- Changing colors of layers of the Martell Forest in order to classify and quantify levels of invasive honey suckle
- Performing electric power line inspection in two person teams with M210 and Z30 sensors
The Bramor C4EYE and the Matrice 210 are the two UAVs we will be using for the capstone project. The Bramor C4EYE is a fixed wing UAV. The Bramor was developed for military reconnaissance missions by C-Astral Aerospace in Slovenia. The version we use was tweaked for commercial purposes. The drone costs about $100,000 and is currently being used by the University for search and rescue research applications. The Bramor utilizes a catapult type launch system in order to facilitate take off and slows down for soft landings by using a parachute. The operation of the Bramor is completely autopilot and in emergency situations the failsafe is also the parachute. We were told about the importance of good crew resource management and organization while operating this UAV. A lot of emphasis was placed on using good communication between team members. Sometimes the app Zello is used to communicate during flights. They also use the 3 boxes that contain the Bramor to outline an area for flight operations and create a physical barrier.
The multi-rotor UAV we will be using for the capstone is the DJI Matrice 210. The Matrice 210 is a quad rotor designed for commercial applications. It has a high quality zoom lens and a thermal camera. The zoom lens is called the Z30 and the thermal camera is the M210 sensor. During class we had the opportunity to operate both of these sensors. We learned how to use a transmitter with these sensors as well as switch between them while in flight.
The camera settings for the Matrice 210 are as follows:
-shutter speed 1600
-fstop: 4.5
-ISO: 100
-35 mm lens
