Ground control segment for UAS civil applications

The aeronautical industry is in a new era of growth thanks to numerous technological advances. One of them is the UAS; Unmanned Aircraft Systems are able to fly by themselves with autonomous operation capabilities. UAS can advantage manned aircrafts in the so called D-cube applications: Dull, Dirty or Dangerous. Risks and costs can be minimized using UAS since they need no crew and their construction, operation and maintenance costs are comparatively lower. This Master Thesis has been developed in the ICARUS (Intelligent Communications and Avionics for Robust Unmanned aerial Systems) research group, which is developing a new platform with UAS technology for civil use. It is true that this type of technology is already used in the military field for years, but it is now in the civil use where it can be expanded even more. Under this scenario, a certain level of control and monitoring is required from the ground segment so that the pilot in command (PiC) is able to supervise the VAS operations. Therefore, it is needed an application in order to solve all pilot in command necessities. A real UAS flight has many different specific phases, for each one of the phases is needed a specific information to shown. This application has to control the UAS, the flight plans and will receive all the information that generates the UAS payload. This Master Thesis solves some of the objectives of the ICARUS research group. One of the main parts of the project is the design and implementation of two applications for the Ground Control Station (GCS). In the GCS we need different workstations, each one for flight plan modifications. In GCS we need three different workstations, each one for different purpose. The first one is the workstation for the PiC to flight control (called Flight Monitor Service). The second one is the workstation for the PoC to manage the flight plan modifications (called Flight Plan Monitor Service) and the las one is for mission and payload management. This project is focused in the design and development of the first two workstation

Implementation and verification of a lunar mission subsystems

This final project is to implement and verify some of the subsystems that make up the Lunar mission designed by the team FREDNET Team (www.teamfrednet.org) for the Google Lunar X Prize, a competition to land on the moon in 20XX, collaborating on the design of some components. This project is developed in collaboration with other researchers of many nationalities and therefore needs to be part of the group in a real project focused on the use of open source software and the Internet community. Especially important is the development of, with our collaboration, one of the possible Rovers (vehicle that will move through the lunar surface) under the name of Pico-Rover. Highlights its particular design, emulating a small ball. We can develop a new concept of proposing Rovers miniaturization and cost reduction by applying concepts of physics but unconventional or usual (by now, all are Rovers used have low manoeuvrability and very high cost). Especially, we have studied and developed a short-range communication to allow the sending and receiving data to the Rover as images, video, telemetry, etc, and accelerometers to achieve radio-control and autonomous Rover control. Furthermore, we proceed to the study, construction and testing of communications boards CAN-Do for possible use in the Lunar Bus and / or Lunar Lander, which will commented in detail later. It has also initiated an investigation to give the Rover a system for detecting obstacles under the name of PicoSAR (micro-RADAR). It has also studied possible characteristics of a satellite link between the Rover and the Lunar Lander, which allows you to be in contact with the Rover. It is a very ambitious project, but which also allows us to participate in an innovative and very interesting format that we can already say that we are an important part in the team

Controles de trabajo en grupo para mejorar la interdependencia positiva

En esta ponencia se describe un mecanismo para generar interdependencia positiva en el marco de una asignatura que usa el aprendizaje basado en proyectos. La interdependencia positiva hace que los miembros de un grupo perciban que el trabajo e implicación de todos es imprescindible para el éxito del grupo. El mecanismo descrito se basa en una serie de controles individuales distribuidos a lo largo del curso. En estos controles, cada alumno debe responder a una pregunta sobre el trabajo que están realizando, que será sencilla para los alumnos implicados y difícil para los que no lo están. La nota individual en estos controles de grupo afecta también a la nota individual de los compañeros de grupo. En la ponencia se describe el mecanismo y se valoran su utilidad a la luz de las primeras experiencias de utilización.SUMMARY -- This paper describes a mechanism that generates positive interdependence within a subject which uses project based learning. Positive interdependence makes the members of a group to perceive their own work and involvement as essential to the success of the whole group. The mechanism described is based on several short exams distributed along the course. In these tests, each student must answer a question about the work the group is doing. This question is made so that is easily answered by those involved students but tricky otherwise. The individual exam score also affects on the score of the peer members. The paper describes the mechanism and its usefulness in the light of the first experiences

A macroscopic performance analysis of NASA’s northrop grumman RQ-4A

This work was partially funded by the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad of Spain under Contract TRA2016-77012-R and by EUROCONTROL acting on behalf of the SESAR Joint Undertaking (the SJU) and the European Union as part of Work Package E in the SESAR ProgrammeThis paper presents the process of identification, from a macroscopic point of view, of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk Remote-Piloted Aircraft System from real, but limited flight information. Performance parameters and operational schemes will be extracted by analyzing available data from two specific science flights flown by the Global Hawk back in 2010. Each phase of the flight, take-off, climb, cruise climb, descent and landing, is analyzed from various points of view: speed profile, altitude, climb/descent ratios and rate of turn. The key performance parameters derived from individual flights will be confirmed by performing a wider statistical validation with additional flight trajectories. Derived data are exploited to validate a simulated RQ-4A vehicle employed in extensive real-time air traffic management simulated integration exercises and to complement the development of a future RQ-4A trajectory predictor.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Real-time simulations to evaluate the RPAS integration in shared airspace

This paper presents the work done during the first year in the WP-E project ERAINT (Evaluation of the RPAS-ATM Interaction in Non-Segregated Airspace) that intends to evaluate by means of human-in-the-loop real-time simulations the interaction between a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) and the Air Traffic Management (ATM) when a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) is being operated in shared airspace. This interaction will be evaluated from three different perspectives. First, the separation management, its results are presented in this paper. Secondly, during the next year, the contingency management, also including loss of link situations and, lastly, the capacity impact of such operations in the overall ATM system. The used simulation infrastructure allows to simulate realistic exercises from both the RPAS Pilot-in-Command (PiC) and the Air Traffic Controller (ATCo) perspectives. Moreover, it permits to analyze the actual workload of the ATC and to evaluate several support tools and different RPAS levels of automation from the PiC and ATC sides. The simulation results and the usefulness of the support tools are presented for each selected concept of operations.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Virtualizing super-computation on-board UAS

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS, also known as UAV, RPAS or drones) have a great potential to support a wide variety of aerial remote sensing applications. Most UAS work by acquiring data using on-board sensors for later post-processing. Some require the data gathered to be downlinked to the ground in real-time. However, depending on the volume of data and the cost of the communications, this later option is not sustainable in the long term. This paper develops the concept of virtualizing super-computation on-board UAS, as a method to ease the operation by facilitating the downlink of high-level information products instead of raw data. Exploiting recent developments in miniaturized multi-core devices is the way to speed-up on-board computation. This hardware shall satisfy size, power and weight constraints. Several technologies are appearing with promising results for high performance computing on unmanned platforms, such as the 36 cores of the TILE-Gx36 by Tilera (now EZchip) or the 64 cores of the Epiphany-IV by Adapteva. The strategy for virtualizing super-computation on-board includes the benchmarking for hardware selection, the software architecture and the communications aware design. A parallelization strategy is given for the 36-core TILE-Gx36 for a UAS in a fire mission or in similar target-detection applications. The results are obtained for payload image processing algorithms and determine in real-time the data snapshot to gather and transfer to ground according to the needs of the mission, the processing time, and consumed watts.Unmanned aerial systems (UAS, also known as UAV, RPAS or drones) have a great potential to support a wide variety of aerial remote sensing applications. Most UAS work by acquiring data using on-board sensors for later post-processing. Some require the data gathered to be downlinked to the ground in real-time. However, depending on the volume of data and the cost of the communications, this later option is not sustainable in the long term. This paper develops the concept of virtualizing super-computation on-board UAS, as a method to ease the operation by facilitating the downlink of high-level information products instead of raw data. Exploiting recent developments in miniaturized multi-core devices is the way to speed-up on-board computation. This hardware shall satisfy size, power and weight constraints. Several technologies are appearing with promising results for high performance computing on unmanned platforms, such as the 36 cores of the TILE-Gx36 by Tilera (now EZchip) or the 64 cores of the Epiphany-IV by Adapteva. The strategy for virtualizing super-computation on-board includes the benchmarking for hardware selection, the software architecture and the communications aware design. A parallelization strategy is given for the 36-core TILE-Gx36 for a UAS in a fire mission or in similar target-detection applications. The results are obtained for payload image processing algorithms and determine in real-time the data snapshot to gather and transfer to ground according to the needs of the mission, the processing time, and consumed watts.Postprint (published version

Maintaining separation between airliners and RPAS in non-segregated airspace

Best paper in track award. ATM Seminar Eurocontrol/FAA (2013-06-13)When an airliner and a Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) have conflicting courses that may compromise the minimum safety separation between them, how much in advance should the RPAS start the separation manoeuvre? Which is the optimal heading change that will guarantee the desired separation distance with a minimum reaction time? These same questions can be asked if it is the airliner that performs the separation manoeuvre. In this paper the time reaction margins for both aircraft are analysed assuming they are equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS) systems able to exchange aircraft intents. Due to their small cruise speeds, RPAS manoeuvres must be initiated well before the airliner ones. This leads to some safety buffer in case the RPAS cannot comply with the required change of trajectory or if it becomes suddenly unresponsive (due to an internal failure or because a lost-link situation). The paper also assesses the operational point of view by simplifying the reaction times and conflict geometries by grouping them in a small set of cases, regarding the severity of a loss of separation event.Award-winningPostprint (published version

On the design of UAS horizontal separation maneuvers

This paper studies the separation maneuvers that an Unmanned Air System (UAS) may execute to avoid breaching the separation safety margins imposed in each type of airspace, namely 3 NM, 5 NM, and 10 NM. The UAS was assumed under the control of its Pilot in Command, with available information about its surrounding traffic through ADS-B or ADS-C, and most likely under the supervision of an ATCo. A number of UAS separation maneuvers have been identified that may guarantee the desired levels of separation if executed with the right parameters and enough anticipation. This paper focuses on identification of the most suitable maneuver for any separation conflict geometry and performance envelop. The conflict geometry is modeled to take into account the speed of both vehicles (the UAS and the intruder), the conflict angle, the turning limitations of the UAS, the reaction time of the pilot, and the communication latency.Postprint (published version

Hardware design of a small UAS helicopter for remote sensing operations

This paper presents the hardware design and integration process employed to develop an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) helicopter. The design process evolves from the bare airframe (without any electronics), to become a complete and advanced UAS platform for remote sensing applications. The improvements, design decisions and justifications are described throughout the paper. Two airframes have been used during the design and integration process: the AF25B model and the more advanced AF30 model, from the Copterworks company. The airframe engine reliability and fuel economy have been improved by adding an Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) and Capacitor Discharge Ignition (CDI), both managed by an Engine Control Unit (ECU). On-board power supply generation and regulation have also been designed and validated. Finally, the integration process incorporates on-board mission computation to improve the concept of operation in remote sensing applications. Several flight tests have been performed to verify the reliability of the whole system. The flight test results demonstrate the correct process of integration and the feasibility of the UAS.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Una Experiencia de unificación de asignaturas para desplegar PBL (y las quejas que originó)

En esta ponencia se describen los aspectos esenciales de una experiencia de unificación de parejas de asignaturas con el objetivo de crear un escenario más adecuado para el despliegue de Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos. Como guía para el repaso de esos aspectos esenciales se utiliza una carta que elaboraron los estudiantes de la primera edición para protestar por el funcionamiento de las asignaturas. El análisis de las quejas de los estudiantes puede ser de mucha utilidad para otros que se planeen retos similares.SUMMARY -- This paper describes the key aspects of an experience of unification of pairs of subjects in order to create a more suitable scenario for deployment of Project Based Learning. To guide the review of these essential aspects we use a letter that students from the first edition wrote to protest against the organization of the subjects. The analysis of the complaints of the students can be very helpful for others who are planning similar innovations