Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or How I learned to stop worrying ... · Brief History of Drones Kettering...

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

or

How I learned to stop

worrying and love drones!

Dr. Charles O’Neill

Aerospace Engineer, UA Professor, Pilot

charles-oneill.com or aero.ua.edu

Brief History of Drones

Kettering Bug (1918)

Cruise Missile – 75 mi

Walden Aerial

Torpedo (1915)

German Mistel 4s (1945)

FW190 on Ju88

Project Aphrodite

U.S. B-17 (1944)

Ryan Firebee

(1955 – 2003)

Target & Scout

D21 Recon Drone

Aerial Launch from SR-71

(1969 – Cancelled 1971)CC

Brief History of Drones

MQ-1 Predator

(1995)

• Engine from manned

experimental/sport a/c

• Missiles from helicopter

Griffon Aerospace Outlaw-Seahunter

(present)

• Redundant, modular, 2kW

• Huntsville, AL

http://griffon-aerospace.com/

Public domain

Brief History of Drones

DJI Inspire (present)

The archetypical “drone”

• Commercial Quadcopter

• Camera on Gimbel

• Radio link to iPhone

• 30 minute flights

• Tracks objects

• GPS navigation system

• ~$1500

By Capricorn4049 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Technology driving Drones/UAVs

Micro Electro-Mechanical Sensors

High Capacity Lithium Ion Batteries

Microprocessors (low weight and power)

Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Systems

Brushless Electric Motor & Speedcontroller

Blade Nano QX

$60

0.58 oz (~ 3 US quarters!)

Stability Augmentation System

National Airspace System (NAS)

The FAA owns the sky.

• Airports

• Navigation

• A/C Separation

Different “classes” of

airspace:

• B = Big (Atlanta)

• C, D are controlled

near airports

• E, F controlled

• G = Go for it!

Operation of UAVs in the NAS• Hobby: Model Aircraft

• Academy of Model Aircraft

• 55 pound limit

• NO commercial/paid flights

• Commercial

• Section 333 Exemption (expensive, difficult)

• Single aircraft & single location (draconian)

• Private & Commercial

• Part 107 Rules (since 2016)

• Significant development for U.S. flights

• Military & Special Rules

• Not discussed here.

Part 107 (Operation)• Requires certified pilot but NOT certified aircraft

• Line of sight (Mark I eyeball)

• Below 400 feet AGL or within 400 feet of structure (!!!!)

• Less than 100 mph groundspeed

• Less than 55 lbs

• Class G airspace with zero communications. All others

require Air Traffic Control clearance/communication.

• No interstate flight.

• Must report damage over $500.

• … several other minor points….

• FAA will waive restrictions if safe flight in NAS can be

demonstrated.

• Commercial and Paid Flights (Survey for $$$)

Part 107 (Certification)

“Remote Pilot Airman Certificate”

• Existing Part 61 pilots (Sport, Private, …, ATP)

• Fast track. Show recent flight review. Small online quiz

• Zero cost

• Non-pilots

• Training aeronautical knowledge course at an FAA

training center (Abe at Tuscaloosa Airport’s General

Aviation Center)

• TSA Background check

• 16 years old

Usage and Potential

Shelby Hall, The University of Alabama

3D Mapping and Surveying

LIDAR scanning

Surveying and Civil Engineering Applications

Q: Is this an aerial photo?

A: No. This is a digital 3D mesh reconstructed from MANY photos.

UAV Cost:

5 minutes of flight

Very cheap <<$100

0.5”/1cm accuracy

Compare to:

Traditional surveying

LIDAR flights

….

Q: How efficient is this house?

Q: Is there post-hurricane damage to this house or roof?

Q: What Thermodynamic & Load calculations can you do with

reconstructed 3D geometry and temperatures?

FLIR VuePRO Infrared Camera

FLIR Inc

DJI

DJI S900

Extra Hot Solar Panels

Cooler Roof from Tree’s Shadows

Hotter Roof from Skylight Reflections

Reconstructed 3D Thermal Geometry

Slightly hotter. Roof variation!

https://youtu.be/lZJWXft7Pd8Q: How did this house on Marco Island, FL survive hurricane Irma?

The Future of Drones

• 100+ year anniversary of the Fokker Scourge (1915)

The machine gun interrupter changed the nature of

aerial warfare.

• Micro components and high density batteries are

changing the nature of aerial flight.

• Drones will fight drones. Ruthlessly.

• Dystopian? Utopian? Drones are just a tool for the

human mind.

Dr. Charles O’Neill

aero.ua.edu

croneill@eng.ua.edu

222 Hardaway, UA

(617) 449-8206

This presentation will be available at:

http://tiny.cc/CE260Drone

Contact:Drone Pilot for Hire?

(this could be you)