Aerialtronics Collision Avoidance System

Jason Bach

          UNSY 605 – Unmanned Systems Sensing, Perception, and Processing

         Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide

10/25/2016

             

            The world of small unmanned systems (sUAS) has improved immensely over the past few years. The sUAS have become autonomous and have been introduced to collision avoidance systems that allow them to perform tasks where precision flying is a must (Meyerson, 2015). This technology of sense and avoid allows sUAS to change direction, height, speed, and even fly as a swarm while avoiding obstacles and others in the swarm (Meyerson, 2015). This technology for sense and avoid will allow drones to operate in all conditions in what is a three dimensional environment. If drones are to fly themselves the sense and avoid technology must be researched and proven safe for applicable tasks.

            The AerialTronics Collision Avoidance System is currently mounted on Altura multirotor systems and allows the technology to automatically adjust the sUAS position to avoid other objects in a predetermined surrounding area. It has obstacle detection sensors working in unison with data fusion algorithm software and also integrated into the guidance system (sUAS News, 2014). The system detects both static and moving objects with sensor and algorithm data and processing making automatic adjustments. Aerialtronics Altura multirotor sUAS will be able to communicate through sensors and software to avoid other sUAS in their 3D surrpounding environment (sUAS News, 2014). The Altura multirotor sUAS are less than five pounds with sensors and payload when operating. Constant algorithm usage combined with data input from the Aerialtronics collision avoidance technology aids the aircraft when flying in or around tight spots or with other drones. When objects come within approximately 23 feet it senses and comes up with an avoidance solution and will have a bounce back feature when within 2 feet of the object (Aerialtronics, 2016). No additional power requirements are needed for the avoidance system since it is built into existing hardware and payloads. The system will allow the sUAS to see and avoid making safer flying in and around the sUAS using the system. Altura drones with the Aerialtronics collision avoidance system included can be purchased for approximately $2,000 dollars.

            Collision avoidance systems will become commonplace on sUAS drones of all types as technology reduces prices and sizes of sensors along with other technology needed for the sense and avoid systems. Aerialtronics technology leads the way in unmanned systems and provided this collision avoidance systems as one of the first of its kind (Aerialtronics, 2016).  

             

References

Aerialtronics. (2016, January 2). Aerialtronics adds sense and avoid technology to Zenith UAS.

Retrieved from http://www.aerialtronics.com/2016/02/aerialtronics-adds-sense-and-avoid-technology-to-zenith-uas/

Meyerson, B. (2015, March 4). Emerging tech 2015: sense and avoid drones. Retrieved from

            https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/03/emerging-tech-2015-sense-and-avoid-drones/

SUAS News. (2014). Aerialtronics improves safety by incorporating sense and avoid. Retrieved

from http://www.suasnews.com/2014/09/aerialtronics-revolutionarily-improves-safety-by-incorporating-sense-and-avoid/

 

Control Station Analysis of the Bluefin 21 AUV

Jason Bach

          ASCI 605 – Unmanned Systems Sensing, Perception, and Processing

         Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide

10/16/2016

             

            The General Dynamics Bluefin 21 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) is very capable and highly efficient and able to carry multiple payload and sensor variations. It is a deep water AUV able to operate for extended times below the surface of the ocean. It can be used for surveys, search and salvage, oceanography, exploration, mine countermeasures, and discovery of unexploded ordinance when needed (General Dynamics, 2016). It has become well known through its efforts in the search for Malaysia Airlines flight 370 (Makinen, 2014). The vehicle itself is over 16 feet long, 21 inches in diameter, weighs 1,650 pounds, and go to depths of nearly 15,000 feet (General Dynamics, 2016). It is powered by a 13.5 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack with an endurance of 25 hours with a regular payload. Figure 1 displays the Bluefin 21 below.

Figure 1. The Bluefin 21 AUV. Adapted from http://www.bluefinrobotics.com/vehicles-batteries-and-services/bluefin-21

            The control station of the Bluefin 21consists of the operator’s laptop or a ruggedized version of the laptop provided in the package purchased. The software used is Bluefin’s Operator Tool Suite that interfaces between the AUV and operator for all parts of the mission (General Dynamics, 2016). It is operated on any Windows based system and includes everything necessary to manage the AUV. Detailed mission planning can be handled before or during the mission with vehicle status display, ship position display, and any other displays set by the operator. Figure 2 shows the display below. Specific commands from the customer can also be sent to the payload interface. Communication and data transfer is done with acoustic modem, RF modem, Wi-Fi, and Iridium with much data stored onboard and downloaded after the mission.

Figure 2. Mission Planner software display. Adapted from http://www.bluefinrobotics.

com/technology/operator-software/

A dashboard tool allows the operator shipboard to track the vehicles progress and monitor its sensors to perform any maintenance or corrective procedures while in operation (General Dynamics, 2016). The dashboard uses the highest bandwidth channel available allowing flow of constant information between the operator and AUV.  Figure 3 below displays a dashboard screen shot sample. The Lantern is Bluefin 21’s software that supports its post mission data display and analysis for the operator and customer (General Dynamics, 2016).

 

Figure 3. Dasboard display. Adapted from http://www.bluefinrobotics.com/technology/operator-software/

It combines and displays all data collected such as survey tracks, user annotations, and vehicle data. Detected targets can be measured for height and width while also obtaining exact positional accuracy of the target (General Dynamics, 2016). Figure 4 below shows the Lantern display.

Figure 3. Lantern display. Adapted from http://www.bluefinrobotics.com/technology/operator-software/

Negative Issues

            Better acoustic communications and improved navigation technology would be the only current weaknesses of the Bluefin 21. Compass navigation and inertial navigation systems are the main navigation sources with research being done with acoustic transponders mounted to the vehicle for greater autonomy in certain isolated areas (General Dynamics, 2016).

Conclusion/Recommended Changes

            The Bluefin 21 is a very versatile AUV that currently employs a standard laptop display for its user interface. All pertinent information is available throughout its mission timeframe with much of its mission data recorded and downloaded after completion. Virtual reality goggle technology would be a recommended option for the operator with the possibility of a responsive joystick for certain operations. The acoustic communications link would have to be analyzed and possibly improved upon to ensure constant real time displays for the operator. Sensor payloads would have to support this also with responsive wider ranges to view the current surroundings while using the VR goggle system. This operation may have to have some depth or other restrictions to enable a constant clear signal in the ocean environment. The Bluefin 21 is a capable platform that will advance with technological improvements when they are possible.

References

 General Dynamics. (2016). Bluefin Robotics. Retrieved from http://www.bluefinrobotics.com 

           /vehicles-batteries-and-services/bluefin-21

Makinen, J. (2014, April 14). Malaysia airlines plane search goes underwater. Los Angeles

Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2014/apr/14/world/la-fg-malaysia-bluefin-20140415

 REMUS 6000 AUV- Data Protocol and Format

Jason Bach

          ASCI 605 – Unmanned Systems Sensing, Perception, and Processing

         Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide

10/03/2016

             

            The Remus 6000 built by Kongsberg is a reliable proven Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) that gathers and analyzes data through different payload mission sensor options. The Remus 6000 can be used for multiple underwater missions from 25 meters up to 6000 meters in depth and can remain underwater for up to 22 hours. The AUV weighs 1900 pounds is 12.5 feet long and 28 inches in diameter (Kongsberg, 2016). The Remus 6000 can be used for many missions to collect data for analysis. Some of the underwater uses for the Remus 6000 are marine archeology, habitat mapping, area search, surveillance/reconnaissance, asset location, and hydrographic surveys (Kongsberg, 2016). The following Figure 1 depicts the Remus 6000 and some of its sensors.

Figure 1. Remus 6000 platform. Adapted from https://www.km.kongsberg.com/ks/web /nokbg0240.nsf/AllWeb/481519DA1B0207CDC12574B0002A8451?OpenDocument#tab-3

Sensors and Payload

            The Remus 6000 can be operated with many sensors onboard in several different configurations depending on what underwater data is being collected. Customers can have the Remus 6000 reconfigured to their specified sensor suite for mission requirements. The standard sensors are an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, an Inertial Navigation Unit, Side Scan Sonar, pressure sensor, and conductivity and temperature sensors (Kongsberg, 2016). The optional sensors able to be installed by the operator are a dual frequency side scan, an acoustic modem, GPS receiver, flourometers, acoustic imaging, video camera, electronic still camera, and a sub-bottom profiler (Kongsberg, 2016). Communications are received underwater by the acoustic modem and on the surface via Wi-Fi and Iridium radio. The ship used for launch and recovery has a launch and recovery system installed, a towed acoustic transducer to gather data real-time, a GPS antenna, an Iridium base station, and a Wi-Fi base station. The Remus 6000 operates on an 11kWh rechargeable Li-ion battery pack stored in two pressure containers (Kongsberg, 2016). It has a second set of batteries that can be changed out in a two hour period for relaunch and recharged in 8 hours. Mission times are not longer than 22 hours depending on speed and the sensor configurations (Kongsberg, 2016).

Software Operation System and Data Management

            The Remus 6000 is operated on a Windows based Graphical User Interface (GUI). It makes data analysis, vehicle monitoring, maintenance, and mission planning much easier and can be done in real-time on a laptop from the launch and recover ship or from shore if needed. Standard Ethernet connections are used for communication through the power/data interface box (Kongsberg, 6000). The software can monitor the mission with a constant map view with automatic error checking throughout the mission displaying warning messages when an error is found. The laptop screen has a display for green, red, or yellow indicators for critical AUV systems statuses with detailed text windows on internal system operations. While on the mission with no host connected all data is logged to an internal disk drive aboard the Remus 6000 and viewed through acoustic modem transmission from the side scan and bathymetry sensors via real-time for the user. After a mission the internal disk drive can be reviewed as a training and troubleshooting aid prior to export. The data can also be exported as an ASCII text or Matlab format to be imported to spreadsheet programs or Matlab programs for processing. The files will include position, altitude, depth, or any feature desired by the analyst for data processing and analysis (Kongsberg, 2016).  GUI software can be installed on any laptop or the user can purchase a ruggedized laptop with the AUV for operational use.

Recommended Data Treatment Improvement

            Currently much of the data can be viewed by the operator shipboard. I recommend the acoustic modem be used to send data shipboard then use cloud-based technology for storage and immediate access by multiple users off ship. This would eliminate waiting for the AUV to be brought onboard for data recovery, formatting, and then sent out to users. This would also depend on the cloud storage system having a dependable signal strength or satellite available to transmit the data to its new locations for immediate analysis. I also recommend more common data formats be made available other than just ASCII text or Matlab for conversion and analysis of the data gathered.

Conclusion

The Remus 6000 was made famous worldwide for discovering the wreckage and black box of Air France 447 in 2011 by the Woods Hole Institute Team at a depth of 13,000 feet (Koerth-Baker, 2011). Since then it has had several technological improvements over the years and continues as a very successful dependable AUV with several other products available through Kongsberg. The underwater environment is a very challenging domain for unmanned vehicles and Kongsberg with the Remus 6000 brings an efficient sensor platform to the consumer with state of the art data collection for many applications.

References

Kongsberg. (2016). Remus 6000. Retrieved from https://www.km.kongsberg.com

/ks/web/nokbg0240.nsf/AllWeb/481519DA1B0207CDC12574B0002A8451?OpenDocument

Koerth-Baker, M. (2011, May 6). Air France 447: How scientists found a needle in a haystack.

            Retrieved from http://boingboing.net/2011/05/06/air-france-447-how-s.html