Solid State Sensors - Practical Implementation in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

AbstractLast two decades of advances in sensors, electronics and wireless communication, as well as dramatic increase of computing power of integrated microprocessors and microcontrollers have opened new perspectives for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Such systems became smaller, more endurable and cheaper, accessible not only for military clients, but also for civilian applications. One of the most important components of an UAV is a set of sensors, used to acquire both real-time flight and system control data. Mini-class electric-powered UAV (wingspan up to 4 meters, take-off weight up to 50kg) consists of more than twenty different sensors, including Pitot and static pressure sensors (for airspeed, altitude and vertical speed measurements), inertial and angular rate sensors, and the most important for surveillance missions, day and night imaging sensors