Unmanned aerial systems, what they are and what is available?

Professor Sandor M VeresUniversity of Sheffield

19/04/23 © The University of Sheffield

Contents

• UASs: What are they?

• System Classifications

• Why now?- technological breakthroughs

• What to look for in the (near) future

19/04/23 © The University of Sheffield

UAS questions• What are the UAS classifications ?

• What are the technical categories ?

• What sensors do UAS use ?

• What do UAS autopilots ?

• What kind of safety features do we need ?

• What kind of artificial intelligence capabilities should we have ?

• Do they need to be piloted?

19/04/23 © The University of Sheffield19/04/23 © The University of Sheffield

UAS Classifications

Civil Aviation Authority Publication CAP 722, 10 Aug 2012Relevant other authorities:1. European Organization for Civil Aviation Equipment2. Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (USA)

UAS technical categoriesFixed wing aircrafts:

•Long flights possible (more than an hour)

•Large loads possible

•Used for large areas

•Remote piloting difficult at large distances

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Flying wings

Traditional UAS

Rotary wing aircraft

• Lot of power needed

• Hovers, safe

• Short flights

• Autopilot needed

• Larger frames have high noise levels

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The sensors they use

• 3D Gyroscope, accelerometer , magnetometer (IMU)

• Altitude sensors

• Airflow sensors(?)

• GPS

• Ultrasonic sensors

• Computer vision

19/04/23 © The University of Sheffield

19/04/23 © The University of Sheffield

Safety features

• Slow speed at all times

• Propeller cut off

• Auto landing

• Power monitoring

• Autopilot

• Perception of environment

Artificial intelligence capabilities• Auto-landing and take off

• Waypoint following autonomously with picture taking

• Robustness to weather – wind, rain, temperatures

• Adaptivity and mission capability

• 3D modelling of tarrain

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Why now?

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• Technological breakthroughs in cheap sensing and imaging• Sufficiently small computers for onboard computing – integrated sensing• Advances adaptive control methods • Advances in AI for autonomous task and mission execution• Lower price of lightweight materials

Single board integration:•GPS •3D Accelerometer•3D Gyroscope•3D magnetometer•Pressure sensor•Powerful GPU for vision•Powerful CPU for autonomous features

What to look for as a user?

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• Right choice of propulsion and size/type of plane

• Autonomous take off and landing• Can operate in rain and wind• High resolution cameras in combination

with automated 3D environmental mapping

• Autonomous mission features• Ease of system reconfiguration • Level of safety features

Thanks.

Any questions?

19/04/23 © The University of Sheffield

19/04/23 © The University of Sheffield

My background• 1980 : applied maths

and physics

• 1981-1988: industrial dynamical modelling and process control

• 1988-1999 – Electronics and embedded systems

• 1998-2003: vibration control

• 2004-2007: autonomous formation flying

• 2008- : intelligent autonomous vehicles

19/04/23 © The University of Sheffield