Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Major
Aerospace Engineering
Research Advisor
Finaish, Fathi
Advisor's Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Funding Source
Missouri S& T Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences (OURE) Fellows Program NASA Space Grant Program
Abstract
A semi-autonomous helicopter has been created to fill both civilian and military rolls. In a civilian role, the aircraft is capable of assisting disaster relief personnel in surveying damaged structures and other hazardous areas. In a military role, the aircraft can provide valuable, time-sensitive intelligence in urban environments. A number of sensors and pieces of computer hardware have been mounted on a small remote-control helicopter to allow for near autonomous operation. The helicopter is controlled from a portable, laptop computer-based ground station that allows the operator to monitor the helicopter's position and video from an onboard camera. Image processing software station assists the operator in identifying windows and doorways of buildings. A fuzzy logic control system has been developed for the helicopter and has been tuned with partial success and tested using flight simulation. Additional work is needed to finish tuning and testing the control system.
Biography
Brian Magaha is a senior in Aerospace Engineering at Missouri S&T. He has research experience both on campus and in industry that qualify him for this project. From spring semester 2005 through spring semester 2006, he worked on the MRSA T project as a member of the thermal subsystem. He performed thermal modeling and analysis, as well as research in thermal protection systems under Dr. Pernicka. Also, he presented this work at a design review to engineers from the Air Force Research Laboratory during the spring of 2006. During the summer of 2006, Brian was an intern with Caterpillar. He worked to create a semi-autonomous control system for an implement on a D-10 tractor. This involved modeling the hydraulic system, designing a control system, and testing the control system using software rapid prototyping techniques.
Research Category
Engineering
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Document Type
Presentation
Award
Engineering oral presentation, Second place
Location
Havener Center, Ozark Room
Presentation Date
09 Apr 2008, 10:30 am - 11:00 am
Development of an Aerial Robot for Surveillance Missions around Buildings
Havener Center, Ozark Room
A semi-autonomous helicopter has been created to fill both civilian and military rolls. In a civilian role, the aircraft is capable of assisting disaster relief personnel in surveying damaged structures and other hazardous areas. In a military role, the aircraft can provide valuable, time-sensitive intelligence in urban environments. A number of sensors and pieces of computer hardware have been mounted on a small remote-control helicopter to allow for near autonomous operation. The helicopter is controlled from a portable, laptop computer-based ground station that allows the operator to monitor the helicopter's position and video from an onboard camera. Image processing software station assists the operator in identifying windows and doorways of buildings. A fuzzy logic control system has been developed for the helicopter and has been tuned with partial success and tested using flight simulation. Additional work is needed to finish tuning and testing the control system.
