GROUND CONTROL STATIONFLIGHT CONTROLTim Molloy

Ground Control Station2

HLO-5 Ground Control Station

SR-B-02Flight Mode Switching

Flight Control Widget

SR-B-08 and 09

Receive and Transmit

Telemetry via WLAN

Communications and Vicon

Threads; Gains and Parameter

Widgets

SR-D-07 and 08

Log Telemetry and Uplink Commands

Received and Transmit

Consoles and Data Logger

SR-D-09Display of State

and Control Data

Data Plotters & Artificial Horizon

SR-D-10System Status

Display

System Status Widget

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3

GCS Design (Architecture)

06332064 Tim Molloy

Ground Control Station Software - Ubuntu

Telemetry Thread· Connect to UDP Server· Receive Telemetry Data· Transmit uplink data

GCS Thread· Run GCS GUI· Change Flight Modes · Change Control Settings· Display received telemetry data· Log Data

Data Logging

802.

11 N

etw

ork

Signals/Slots

Vicon Thread· Receive Vicon Data· Forward Vicon Data

Signals/Slots

Net

wor

k

Signals/Slots

4

GCS Implementation (User Interface)

06332064 Tim Molloy

5

HLO-5 Ground Control Station

SR-B-02Flight Mode Switching

AT-02

SR-B-09 and 08

Receive and Transmit

Telemetry via WLAN

AT-08 AT-09

SR-D-07 and 08

Log Telemetry and Uplink Commands

AT-17 and AT-18

SR-D-09Display of State and

Control Data

AT-19

SR-D-10System Status

Display

AT-20

GCS Acceptance Testing

06332064 Tim Molloy

Flight Control6

HLO-4 Autonomous Hovering Flight

SR-B-10PID Control

Methodology

Control Architecture

SR-D-03Stability

Augmented Flight

Attitude Control

Static Angle Setpoints

Dynamic Angle Setpoints

Dynamic Angular Rate

Setpoints

SR-B-0350Hz Control

Rate

Control and Mode Control

Unit Flight Computer

Update Rate

SR-D-04Autonomous

Station-keeping

Guidance

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8

06332064 Tim Molloy

Flight Control (System Architecture)

Attitude Control

Position Control

10

Angle Based Attitude Control

96 97 98 99 100 101 102

-20

0

20

40

60Angle Control : IMG0059 Angle Controller Oscillations

Pitc

h A

ngle

[

deg]

ref

96 97 98 99 100 101 102

-20

0

20

40

60

Time t [sec]

Rol

l Ang

le

[de

g]

ref

11

Dynamic Rate Based Attitude Control

12

Altitude Control

Flight Control Acceptance Testing

13

06332064 Tim Molloy

HLO-4 Autonomous Hovering Flight

SR-B-10PID Control Methodolog

y

AT-10

SR-D-03Stability

Augmented Flight

AT-13

SR-B-0350Hz Control

Rate

AT-03

SR-D-04Autonomous

Station-keeping

AT-14

14

Lessons Learnt

GCS· Emphasis on modular design, unit testing and

documentation tools to maximise code reuse· Avoidance of “from scratch” development

Control· Separation of State Estimation and Controller Testing· Reliance on controller designs based on proven

implementations rather than simulations· Limitations on use of testing apparatus to mitigate

risks· Effects of PWM resolutions on control performance· Avoidance of USART Update Limitations in Control 06332064 Tim Molloy