Development of Virtual Navigation Aid Using Simulator

AJMAL P YOOSUFMUHAMMED NADHEERNOUFAL SHAHVINAY SADAN PILLAI

Project Guide:Mr KIRUBAKARAN PSB

Project Overview

• To develop a Virtual Navigation

System (VNS) to enhance

current navigation capabilities

of an UAV

• Provide real time simulation of

aircraft.

• This project relates to Green

Aviation Project- Aura Mithra II

INERTIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM

• Dead Reckoning Navigation

• Velocity and position calculation by successive integration of

acceleration w.r.t time

• Major components: IMU, Instrument Support Electronics and GPS

• Two Types: Stabilized Platform & Strap-down Mechanism

• Stabilized platform involves mechanical gyros mounted on a

stable platform, giving orientation and acceleration when the

vehicle moves

• Strap-down mechanism involves accelerometers mounted directly

to airframe and measure body acceleration, processed using DCM

which in fact is computed using mounted gyro outputs.

• Strap-down Mechanism being used in this miniature model

Types Of INS

Stable Platform Mechanism Strap-Down Mechanism

INS Mechanism

Current Status

• What is the progress?o IMUs and Chips Identified- ArduIMU V3 , Arduino UNO, u-Blox

GPS Module & Xbee Pro Transceiver

o Simulator best suited for the job decided : X-Plane

o ArduIMU chip programmed to make it work for our model

o Mode to transmit and receive data from IMU sorted out

o Sending the data to simulator is achieved

o Completed the working model of VNS as well as the Aircraft

Identify the chips and other items

How to Transfer Signal from Sensor Chip

Design and Program the System

Bring it onto Simulator

Make the Input Device &Simulate the Model

Timeline

ArduIMU+V3

• An Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)

• Effective for running the Attitude Heading Reference

System (AHRS) code

• Based on DCM algorithm

• 9 DOF – 3 Accelerometers, 3 Gyros & 3 axis Magnetometer

• IMU - MPU 6000

• Magnetometer – HMC 5883L

• Microcontroller – ATMega328

Arduino UNO

• Integrate and retrieve the required values, i.e., Pitch, Roll

and Yaw from the ArduIMU

• It is programmed to read the binary values of Pitch, Roll

and Yaw and convert into angles

• Use ATMega328

u-Blox GPS

• Intended purpose of use – To reduce the yaw drift caused

by IMU values integration by magnetometer

• Error accumulates with passage of time and motion of

IMU, where the system confuses with it’s actual position

X-Bee Pro Transceiver

• Used for long range serial communication – 1600m in line

of sight

• Two X-Bee Pro Transceivers are used in this system

• One transmits data to Arduino UNO ; other receives data

from IMU

Attitude Indicator.exe• In this system, this software plays a role of interfacing the

Pitch, Roll and Yaw data to X-Plane as inputs

• This runs on PC which runs the simulator and to which

Arduino UNO is connected

X-Plane Flight Simulator

• Implements an aerodynamic model – Blade Element

Theory

• Best suited for design work and simulation

• Includes tools for designing Aircraft and Airfoil; Plane

Maker and Airfoil Maker respectively

• Model of our RC aircraft is designed for simulation using

Plane Maker

• The dimensions of the RC model was chosen based on it’s

performance in this simulator

Working Of The System

• ArduIMU mounted onboard, level and parallel to longitudinal axis

detects the Pitch, Roll and Yaw of the aircraft with the GPS data from

u-Blox GPS module

• X-Bee Pro transceiver connected to Tx pin of ArduIMU transmits the

data

• Arduino UNO programmed for reading binary data from ArduIMU

receives the serial data through X-Bee Pro transceiver connected to

Rx pin of Arduino UNO

• In Attitude Indicator.exe connect the COM port of Arduino UNO

• Open X-Plane, fly the model; it replicates the motion of the real

aircraft

System Setup

On-Board Aircraft Ground Setup

ProcessPROJECT SETUP

3-View Diagram

RC MODEL OF AURA-MITHRA II

Simulation in Action

Dependencies and Resources

Simulation

IMUs & Chips

Engine Parameter

s

Control Geometry

Input Config.

Other Parameter

s

Conclusion

• The pilot gets a Bird’s Eye View of

his aircraft and the surrounding

environment

• Enable flights at near zero visibility

• Enable the use of a virtual ILS for

landing assist

• Aid in pilot training and perception

of situation

Appendix• Software used:

• X-Plane• Plane Maker• Arduino Software• X-CTU• Visual Basic C#

• Circuitry:• ArduIMU+V3• Arduino UNO• u-Blox GPS Module• X-Bee Transceivers• FTDI Break-out Board• X-Bee Explorer Board

Appendix

• Documents Referred:o X-Plane Tutorial

o Plane Maker Tutorial

o ArduIMU Datasheet & Schematics

o Quadcopter Design Document

o UAV Design Document

o Hardware In-Loop Simulation Guidelines