Copyright NTC 2006 2
Table of Contents
SYSTEM OVERVIEW................................................................................... 3
MAJOR COMPONENTS..................................................................................... 5
REFERENCES................................................................................................... 8
SYSTEM SETUP............................................................................................. 9
GROUND STATION SETUP ............................................................................... 9
HELICOPTER SETUP ...................................................................................... 10
SYSTEM OPERATION ............................................................................... 12
FLYING THE MISSION .................................................................................... 12
Take-Off................................................................................................... 14
Fly Waypoints.......................................................................................... 14
Manual Flight.......................................................................................... 15
Return-Land............................................................................................. 17
Waypoint Files......................................................................................... 17
Operator Set Points................................................................................. 17
Emergency Land...................................................................................... 18
EMERGENCY PILOT TAKEOVER .................................................................... 18
Loss of GPS............................................................................................. 18
Loss of Communications ......................................................................... 18
Loss of IMU or Barometric Altimeter ..................................................... 19
PILOT RESPONSIBILITIES .............................................................................. 19
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PILOT AND GS OPERATOR ............................... 20
MAINTAINING A FLIGHT LOG ....................................................................... 20
POST FLIGHT.............................................................................................. 21
MAINTENANCE .......................................................................................... 22
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE ........................................................................... 22
APPENDIX A – CHECKLISTS .................................................................. 23
GROUND STATION SETUP CHECKLIST .......................................................... 24
HELICOPTER SETUP CHECKLIST ................................................................... 25
POST-FLIGHT CHECKLIST............................................................................. 26
APPENDIX B – TRAINING THE RC PILOT TO FLY THE XS ........... 27
APPENDIX C – TRAINING THE GROUND STATION (GS)
OPERATOR .................................................................................................. 28
INDEX............................................................................................................ 29
Copyright NTC 2006 3
System Overview
The XS Autonomous Miniature Helicopter is a versatile unmanned aerial
vehicle that allows users to:
• Perform autonomous missions with predefined waypoints.
Waypoints can be either easily chosen from integrated MapPoint
application or hand entered through the Ground Station;
• Easily fly the helicopter in the robotically-assisted mode to an area
in the sky of interest;
• Command automated Takeoff and “Return-Land” with the press
of a button;
• Investigate and research navigation/control strategies whereby
waypoints are generated and sent to the vehicle real time;
• Capture video;
• Perform UAV research;
as well as many other applications.
The system takes advantage of research done in conjunction with MIT. See
the References for details.
Copyright NTC 2006 4
Usage Warnings
The XS-series autonomous helicopter flies itself, but it does not maintain itself. It will
operate safely and efficiently if properly maintained and operated, if all instructions in
this manual are carefully followed, and if GSA warnings and indicators are carefully
monitored.
The engine is the heart of the helicopter. It must be maintained and kept tuned to avoid
in-flight loss of engine. Experience with operating and tuning two-stroke engines is
required, as well as careful adherence to the engine operating manual for good
maintenance and tuning practices.
Servos should be maintained, trimmed and in good operating condition to insure
constant control. This may require replacing chattering, sluggish or inconsistent servos.
Check all servos before each flight, and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for
preventing damage and deterioration of the servos. Follow the instructions in this
manual regarding startup and shutdown to prevent modes which may ‘jam’ the servos or
cause unnecessary wear. Follow the replacement schedule included at the end of this
manual.
FAA notification may be required if flying in controlled airspace. Purchase and check
the FAA sectional chart for your area-of-operation from any flight school in the area.
Check for Class A, B, C, D and E airspace especially when flying near an airport.
Avoid interaction with other RC aircraft in nearby flying fields by insuring that your RC
transmitter is at least 2 miles from the nearest flying field. Check the Field Locator at
the Academy of Model Aeronautics site at www.modelaircraft.org. If within 2 miles,
contact the president of the nearby club and announce the date and time of the flight as
well as the RC channel the pilot is using.
You must have an experienced RC helicopter pilot as safety backup. The RC Pilot must
be experienced in flying 5-foot diameter rotor helicopters similar to the X-Cell gasser. It
is preferable that they have “gasser” experience.
It is recommended that a careful Flight Log be kept in case post-flight troubleshooting is
required by NTC engineers.
Certain system dynamics are assumed within the avionics software. Large deviations
from these due to configuration changes may cause a loss of control by the Flight
Manager. Consult NTC before adding payloads weighing more than 16 ounces to the
helicopter avionics tray, or 8 ounces to other locations.
In order to reduce wear and tear on the parts, we recommend taking off and landing on
short grass. Taking off or landing on asphalt and concrete often leads to dirt collection
in the bearings and reduced life. For best results from surfaces other than grass,
consider using a heavy rug or a piece of plywood for takeoff and landing.
Care is needed in commanding helicopter waypoints. The helicopter will attempt to fly a
straight path between the waypoints. The helicopter is not equipped with collision avoidance at this
time. Be sure to take into account trees, poles, and buildings and make sure the altitudes of
the waypoints are at least 10m above any obstacle.
Copyright NTC 2006 5
Major Components
We begin with an overview of the major components that make up the
system. Below is a picture of the helicopter, avionics and a typical camera
mount.
Miniature Helicopter Avionics Box
The drawing below provides a schematic of the XS-series components.
Helicopter – Nascent recommends the X-Cell gasser or Spectra-G miniature
helicopter from Miniature Aircraft. It comes with a 5 foot diameter rotor
and uses a 2-stroke gasoline engine for best results.
Under the belly is mounted the avionics and video camera.
On-board avionics – most avionics are housed in the enclosure between the
landing gear struts. Avionics consist of:
Copyright NTC 2006 6
¾ GPS,
¾ IMU,
¾ barometric altimeter,
¾ RC receiver (for backup manual flight),
¾ servo board,
¾ power management including Li-Ion battery and UPS,
¾ a small gimbaled camera to capture in-flight footage,
¾ 60W DC electric power generator,
¾ on-board computer running the Flight Manager software, and
¾ wireless transceiver for communication with the Ground Station
Communication Transceiver Ground Station Application
“HeliControl”
Communication Transceiver and TV Monitor– The transceiver is used to
transmit commands to the helicopter during flight and to monitor system
state. The video receiver, located in the same enclosure, receives
downlinked NTSC video. The video can be displayed real-time on a TV
monitor or using a screen-capture board mounted in a PC or laptop.
Telemetry is displayed by the GSA and can also be stored on the laptop’s
hard drive.
The transceiver operates at a frequency of 900 KHz with 1 watt spread
spectrum radio, with a range of 2-5 miles (depending on the antenna used).
Video downlink operates at 2.4 GHz, and has a range of 3-5 miles with
appropriate antennas.
Laptop with Ground Station Application (GSA) with MapPoint – The
laptop runs the GSA software, sends joystick commands to the helicopter
via the transceiver, displays real-time telemetry data, and provides an
interface for the operator to enter waypoints via the keyboard or by pointing
and clicking in MapPoint.
Copyright NTC 2006 7
Joystick Controller RC Transmitter
Helicopter Joystick Controller – Standard USB game pad incorporating two
(2) paddles and several buttons used in controlling the helicopter. The
operator sends joystick commands to the helicopter through the GSA and in
turn through the transceiver station.
RC Transmitter – Any high-end transmitter from JR, Futaba or Airtronics.
It is used by the pilot to take control of the helicopter if needed. It is also
employed to familiarize the pilot with the helicopter dynamics and to “trim”
the helicopter before automated flight is attempted.
Network and power cables – are used to connect all networked equipment
as well as provide power.
User supplied equipment -
- Laptop to run the GSA and communicate with the helicopter;
- Monitor Video monitor output of video downlink;
- Fuel Standard gasoline with approved ratio of 2-stroke engine
oil. We recommend 4 oz of Blue Marble per gallon of gas.
32/1 to 40/1 gas/oil ratio is acceptable, and Amsoil (40/1)
or Yamalube 2R (32/1) can be used instead. A container
approved for storing and transporting gasoline should be
used; and
- Gas pump to pump gasoline into (and out of) the helicopter
Other recommended equipment -
- Backup power for laptop and transceiver, especially for long missions,
with car/van power adapter, small generator, or UPS battery;
- Hand-held magnetic compass to point the helicopter due South (during
initialization);
- Flight Log Book;
- 2-way walkie-talkie for communication between Ground Station
operator and safety Pilot (when operating at long range); and
- Orange cones to mark off helicopter operating area.
Copyright NTC 2006 8
Definitions
AGL Altitude – height ‘above ground level’. The helicopter keeps track of
altitude relative to the take-off point. For some functions, the helicopter
uses AGL altitude, while others use Geodetic altitude (see definition below).
Flight Manager – the software on-board the helicopter’s flight computer that
controls the helicopter.
Geodetic Altitude – height above sea level, estimated based on GPS
readings. This altitude is accurate within 10-20 m.
GS – refers to the entire Ground Station, including transceiver, laptop, GSA
and related cabling and power supplies.
GSA – Ground Station Application, or operator interface running on the
Windows laptop. This application is called “HeliControl”.
Joystick Controller – the computer game-type controller connected to the
GS laptop that is used by the GS operator
Operator or GS operator – the person viewing the GS screen and
commanding the helicopter through the joystick controller or command
screen (GSA).
Pilot – refers to the RC safety pilot, not the operator using the GSA console.
Waypoints – are geodetic (GPS) latitude, longitude and altitude.
References
V. Gavrilets, , "Avionics Systems Development for Small Unmanned
Aircraft", M.S. Thesis, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT, 1998.
V. Gavrilets, , "Autonomous aerobatic maneuvering of miniature
helicopters", Ph.D. Thesis, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT,
2003
V. Gavrilets, B. Mettler and E. Feron, "Non-linear model for a small-size
acrobatic helicopter", AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference,
Montréal, August 2001
V. Gavrilets, A. Shterenberg, M. Dahleh and E. Feron, "Avionics
System for a Small Unmanned Helicopter Performing Aggressive
Maneuvers", 2000 Digital Avionics Systems Conference
Minuature Aircraft - www.miniatureaircraftusa.com – Phone (352)-383-
3201
Copyright NTC 2006 9
System Setup
This section walks you through the essential steps to get the XS helicopter
ready for flight. The Ground Station Setup section discusses setting up the
laptop, transceiver and joystick controller, while the Helicopter Setup
discusses helicopter preparation. At this time we recommend both a
Pilot and a Ground Station operator.
Ground Station Setup
Setting up the Ground Station is quite simple. Instructions here are for
automatic operation. See next section for slight variations on this procedure used during
manual check-out flights.
¾ Point transceiver (or video patch
antennas) toward the flight area. This
will improve the coverage for the wireless
video signal. Operator commands are
sent using the omni-directional antenna.
¾ Hookup the laptop to the Microhard port
with a ‘cross-over’ type computer (CAT-
5) network cable.
¾ Power up the Ground Station (GS)
laptop.
¾ Start the Ground Station Application
(GSA), called HeliControl, found in the
Programs menu.
¾ Wait for the pilot’s verbal “You are in control”
indication.
¾ Once “you are in control”, click the
“Connect” button on the GS controller.
You should see the display begin to
change. It will say “Ready for Pullstart”
if all systems are working. The picture at
left indicates a healthy helicopter after
connect (battery levels may be lower than
shown). Note that the ‘Connect’ button
now reads ‘Disconnect’.
¾ Check for GPS, IMU, BAR and COM
green light indicators. Check that the
Avionics/servo battery health is green.
Do not begin a GS-controlled mission if any
of these are health signs are red.
Figure 1 GSA - Helicopter Status
Copyright NTC 2006 10
¾ Tell the pilot that you are ‘Ready for Pullstart’
¾ After pilot has started the helicopter and stepped away from the helicopter, click
‘take-off’ (either using a mouse, or the joystick button).
¾ See further instructions for ground station operation in the next section.
Helicopter Setup
In the interest of time, some of the helicopter setup can proceed at the same
time as GS setup until the point of transferring control from the RC transmitter
to the GS.
To fly the helicopter manually (for checkout, trim, etc.):
¾ Follow normal RC flying safety rules and best practices.
¾ Fill helicopter fuel tank with 87 octane regular gas mixed with a suitable
oil at a ratio of 4oz per gallon (32:1) oil to gas ratio. A full 16-oz gas
tank allows for approximately 30 minutes of flight, depending on
conditions.
¾ Turn avionics switch to “On”. Note switch light, and beep from on-
board computer. This will start up all the systems and give the GPS
time to locate satellites (usually takes 3-5 minutes).
¾ Remove the helicopter blades from the blade holder and straighten them
out. Turn on the servos and RC transmitter and check for normal
operation.
¾ Go to take-off ready mode by switching the “Pilot/Computer in
Control” switch to ‘Pilot’ (upper, left hand switch, behind idle-up switch,
is away from pilot) and idle up setting is ‘Normal’ (also away from pilot).
¾ Tell GSA operator that you are ready to fly. GSA operator clicks
‘Connect’. All GSA operations are as described above except the
helicopter will not be ‘ready for pullstart’, because the switch settings will
be incorrect (the pilot is in control instead of the GSA operator).
¾ Fly the helicopter manually to ascertain trim and proper flight
characteristics.
Note: the helicopter can be flown manually, but the flight manager must
be running. In this mode, the flight manager is providing yaw feedback t
othe tail rotor, exactly like a hobby gyro on a standard rc helicopter.
Copyright NTC 2006 11
¾ At the end of the flight (engine off)GSA operator should disconnect and
close the ground station. Restart the entire procedure (both GSA
operator and pilot) to fly autonomously.
To fly the helicopter automously:
¾ Place helicopter in a cleared area facing
due south
as measured by a
magnetic compass. Provide a 50 foot radius area of clearance. In a
crowded situation, such as a campus field or parking lot, consider
placing small orange cones to keep out observers.
¾ Fill helicopter fuel tank with 87 octane regular gas mixed with a suitable
oil at a ratio of 4oz per gallon (32:1) oil to gas ratio. A full 16-oz gas
tank allows for approximately 30 minutes of flight, depending on
conditions. Both the pilot and the GS operator should be aware of the
number of minutes in flight to avoid a loss of engine situation.
¾ Turn avionics switch to “On”. Note switch light, and beep from on-
board computer. This will start up all the systems and give the GPS
time to locate satellites (usually takes 3-5 minutes).
¾ Remove the helicopter blades from the blade holder and straighten them
out. Turn on the servos and RC transmitter and, using the pilot-in-
control switch settings described above, check for normal servo/throttle
operation.
¾ Go to
take-off ready mode
by switching the “Pilot/Computer in
Control” switch to the ‘Computer” (upper, left hand switch, behind idle-
up switch, is toward pilot) and idle up setting is ‘Idle up 2’ (also fully
toward pilot). It is
critical
that the pilot be familiar with this function as
this is how he/she will take over if necessary.
¾ Verbally communicate the “You are in control” status to GS operator.
¾ When the GSA takes control, the rudder servo will twitch.
¾ When the GSA operator indicates ‘ready for pullstart’, prepare to pull
start the engine by checking that the throttle is in the idle position.
Throttle setting is dictated by the computer, rather than the transmitter
at this point, so this is your final check. Pull start engine.
¾ Move the collective stick to 3/4 position (best position for pilot take-
over). Step away to a safe area and give the ‘Ok to fly’ signal to the GS
operator. Monitor the flight and take over if necessary.
Copyright NTC 2006 12
System Operation
This section covers all the steps and options available in actually ‘flying’ the
XS helicopter in its different modes. It assumes the GS and helicopter have
been setup and the pilot has had a chance to fly the helicopter manually to
ensure trim and flight characteristics are good. Note:
¾ Ensure that the helicopter is pointing due South. This helps the
avionics to initiate.
¾ Make sure all lights are green and the helicopter status is ‘ready for
pullstart’. Monitor this status during the take-off sequence. Click
‘Emergency Land’ if problems occur during take-off.
Flying the mission
Once the helicopter engine starts and the pilot gives the “OK to Fly”
indication verbally, the GS operator can take over control of the helicopter.
As a precaution, note the engine start time - this is for the purpose of fuel
management.
On the middle bottom of the GSA panel below is a pictorial representation
of the joystick controller. This panel in the GSA is enlarged in Figure 3. The
functionality of each joystick and button will now be described – the
pictorial representation continually reminds the operator of these functions.
Figure 2 GSA During Flight
Copyright NTC 2006 13
Besides the two joysticks on the Joystick Controller, there are 5 buttons that
can be used to command helicopter autonomous modes: Take-Off, Fly
Waypoints, Manual Flight, Return-Land, and Emergency Land. The buttons
are on the front side of the joystick controller. (See Figure 3.) The position
of the buttons is shown on the bottom of the GSA panel as if the operator
could see through the joystick controller to the front panel. The buttons on
the GSA panel can also be used to fly the helicopter, using mouse clicks.
A typical mission includes doing:
¾ Take-Off
¾ Fly Waypoints and/or Manual Flight
¾ Return-Land.
Each button is now described.
Figure 3 GSA Command Box and corresponding buttons on joystick.
Emergency Land must be executed with a mouse click
Copyright NTC 2006 14
Note that as buttons on the panel become available, they become active
(unshaded). Any panel button that is shaded has no effect on the helicopter.
Take-Off
In all types of flight (whether waypoint-controlled or robotically-assisted),
the first step is to command the helicopter to start flying by clicking the
“Take-Off” button. The Flight Manager will immediately do the following:
It will spin up the rotor, wait a few seconds, and then command the
helicopter to take off vertically to 20 meters altitude AGL, entering hover
when it reaches this altitude. This portion of the flight is now over and
other options will appear on the screen.
Fly Waypoints
Choosing this option causes the helicopter to navigate to the waypoint or
waypoints currently displayed in the GSA panel. If there are no waypoints
loaded, this option will be unavailable.
Waypoints can be entered while the helicopter is flying by simply shift-
clicking on the map (clicking on the map with the shift key held down). You
will see the waypoint data show up on the left side next to Lat, Lon, Altitude
and Velocity labels. Once the waypoint list is correct, the operator should
press the Upload Waypoints button in the lower left-hand corner of the
screen. This command sends the waypoints to the helicopter and clears any
previously uploaded lists in helicopter memory. Note message window.
Note that waypoint altitudes are to be entered in Geodetic Altitude (i.e. GPS altitude).
Figure 4 Loading Waypoints
Copyright NTC 2006 15
Note that velocity is set by default to 5 m/s by the Flight Manager. This
number can be set to an upper limit of 10 m/s. Numbers entered above the
upper limit result in a command of 10 m/s.
Obviously, care is needed in entering waypoints since the helicopter will
attempt to fly a straight path from current position to the next waypoint. The
helicopter is not equipped with collision avoidance at this time. Be sure to take into
account trees, poles, and buildings and make sure the altitudes of the
waypoints are at least 10m above any obstacle.
The Flight Manager considers that the current waypoint has been reached
when the position of the helicopter is estimated to be within 5 m of the
waypoint. This keeps it from hunting for a waypoint. It then moves on to
the next waypoint. Once it reaches the last waypoint on its list, it simply
hovers at that last waypoint until the GS operator uploads more waypoints,
commands it to move in ‘Manual’ mode, or the pilot takes over control.
Manual Flight
Manual mode is an option that allows the GS operator to essentially fly the
helicopter like a car. Think of it as a computer-assisted mode in which the
complexities of maintaining altitude as well as coordinated flight are handled
by the Flight Manager so that all the pilot needs to do is to drive. In order to
enter this mode you must press the “Manual Flight” button in the upper
right of the command box. In Manual Flight mode, the helicopter icons
turn yellow to alert the operator that he/she is in control. The functionality
of the right and left stick will now be described.
Right Stick Operation:
Figure 5 Manual Flight Command Box - Forward Command
¾ When the right stick is pushed forward/backward, it commands the
helicopter to move forward/backward at a velocity proportional to the
amount the stick is deflected from neutral. Note that if the stick is
released suddenly, the helicopter is being told to stop all
forward/backward motion and swing to a stop at that point. It is best to
Copyright NTC 2006 16
pick a comfortable velocity setting with the stick and then release it
slowly to stop forward motion.
Figure 6 Manual Flight Command Box - Left Command
¾ When the right stick is pushed left or right, it causes the helicopter to
turn left or right. If the helicopter has no forward velocity, it will simply
rotate to the left or to the right at its current location (pirouette).
Left Stick Operation:
Figure 7 Manual Flight Command Box - Climb Command
¾ Pushing the left stick forward/backward commands the climb/decent
rate of the altitude. The helicopter should not be flown over 400 ft
above ground level due to FAA regulations (except with consent by the
FAA).
Figure 8 Manual Flight Command Box - Sideslip Command
Copyright NTC 2006 17
¾ Pushing the left stick left/right, causes the helicopter to side-slip left or
right. In other words, it stays pointed forward while moving sideways.
Return-Land
The Return-Land button causes the helicopter to return to its initial take-off
position by simply climbing to 100 m altitude AGL, navigating to an
internal waypoint 100m above the takeoff spot and then descending.
Initially, the helicopter descends at 1.5 m/s. When it reaches an altitude of
10m off the ground, it slows to 0.7 m/s, and maintains this slow descent
until it touches down. Once the helicopter senses that it has landed the
motor is shut off.
This is the normal and recommended way to land the helicopter.
Changes to the Return-Land guidance strategy require changes in the Flight
Manager. Contact NTC for further information.
Waypoint Files
There are five commands under the File menu. They are explained in detail
here:
New Route – Clears the
current waypoint route.
Load Route – Clears the
current waypoint route and
loads a new route from a file.
Autoload Route – Clears the
current waypoint route and
loads a new route from a file.
That file is checked for changes
every second by the GSA. If
the file has changed the old
route is cleared and the new
route is loaded into the GSA
and to the helicopter.
Save Route – Saves the current route in the GSA to a file.
Save Route As – Saves the current route in the GSA to a new file name.
Operator Set Points
** Under Development **
Copyright NTC 2006 18
Emergency Land
The Emergency Land middle button causes the Flight Manager to land the
helicopter wherever it is with a decent rate of 1.5 m/s (slightly higher than
the return and land feature). It does not fly to the original take off point, so
the operator must insure that there is nothing underneath the current
helicopter position before initiating. The operator can return to manual
flight at any time during either Emergency Land or Return-Land.
Emergency Pilot Takeover
With the XS helicopter avionics, the pilot takes over from the GS operator
by switching the appropriate switch (upper left switch) on the RC
transmitter. At this point, the pilot is flying the helicopter via Remote
Control. The only difference is that helicopter is dependent on the avionics-
based heading gyro rather than a typical RC gyro.
Typically the pilot will simply be asked to land the helicopter. If the
helicopter is too far to fly by sight, it may require that he/she fly it using the
TV monitor for feedback.
The following sections cover emergency situations such as:
¾ Loss of GPS
¾ Loss of Communications
¾ Loss of IMU or Barometric Altimeter
Loss of GPS
Loss of GPS signal will cause the GPS light on the GS to turn red. The
helicopter will immediately and automatically go to 100 m altitude. This is a
critical situation as the Flight Manager can no longer perform waypoint
navigation. The GS operator should always be monitoring this light.
Loss of GPS occurs when there are not enough GPS satellites in view (less
than 4) for the GPS to estimate position or the PDOP is greater than 9.0.
The pilot should take over as soon as possible.
The helicopter can hover
for about 30 seconds and then will loose orientation. After 30 seconds the
helicopter will begin to drift, usually losing altitude and slowly moving
randomly. This will get worse and eventually the helicopter will become
difficult to recover by the pilot.
Loss of Communications
Loss of primary communication (900 MHz Ethernet)
It can happen that the helicopter and the GS get far enough apart or
buildings get in the way such as to weaken the signal and not produce good
communication.
Copyright NTC 2006 19
If this happens, the Flight Manager will wait 6 seconds for the connection to
be re-established. At this point the helicopter will start listening for a new
connection request from the GS. After an additional 30 seconds, the
helicopter automatically switches into “Return-Land” mode and will return
to the take off location. If the GS operator can reconnect to the helicopter
by pressing the “Connect” button he/she will regain control of the
helicopter, otherwise the helicopter will return and land safely.
If the helicopter looses the GPS signal during the Return-Land situation, it
will stop coming home and hover in place. At this point the pilot should
take over.
Loss of RC Link
The transmitter is set up to ‘fail safe’ to computer-in-control if RC link is
lost. This is the safest mode to switch to, because even if the primary
comms have been lost, the helicopter can return home on it’s own safely.
However the pilot backup is lost, therefore this is an unsafe mode to fly in.
Return and land immediately. Fail Safe also causes the video camera to
point straight down, providing a visual indication of loss of link during
autonomous flight.
Loss of Video Downlinnk
Another loss of communication that can occur is the loss of video signal.
This is not a flight critical problem, but can reduce mission effectiveness. If
the loss of video communication persists, then see the corrective action list
below.
Corrective Action:
¾ Re-position the transceiver to better point to the current helicopter
location and to avoid blockage of the signal.
¾ Check network wiring.
¾ Check battery power. Voltage on the field battery should exceed 12V.
Loss of IMU or Barometric Altimeter
If either the IMU or the barometric altimeter develops a problem, the pilot
should take over immediately.
Pilot Responsibilities
Before flight, the pilot is responsible for insuring that the helicopter is not
only flyable but safe. This is key.
During GS-controlled flight, the pilot must be very attentive, observing the
flight at all times either visually or through the on-board camera display on
the TV monitor. Once control is turned over to the GS operator, the pilot
must watch for any indications of loss of control by the GS operator and
Copyright NTC 2006 20
take over as soon as the GS operator indicates with a verbal “Take Over”
indication. The pilot must also take over as soon as any safety concerns
develop; for example, if the helicopter is flying too close to a building, a
person or an obstacle such as a tree.
It is important for the pilot to stay alert, especially during long
portions of automated flight. A delay in taking over control of even a
few seconds could translate into thousands of dollars in damage, and
lost mission time.
Communication between Pilot and GS Operator
Communication between Pilot and GS operator is a key component of a
successful flight. If all goes well, the pilot simply starts the helicopter and
steps back. However, due to the research nature of the vehicle as well as the
power of any miniature helicopter, the communication between these two
people is critical if anything anomalous occurs. In this case, the GS operator
must be able to quickly and clearly tell the pilot to “Take Over.”
Maintaining a Flight Log
The XS Autonomous Highly Maneuverable Miniature Helicopter is a
complex flight vehicle. We recommend that you maintain a Flight Log
whenever you fly the XS as this will help with maintenance and remind you
of post-flight items that need to be addressed.
Flight Log outline:
¾ Flight Date:
¾ Misssion:
¾ Configuration and significant changes (if any):
¾ Notes:
¾ Squawks:
Notes:
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