Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have been growing in popularity for
several years for both professionals and hobbyists. There are many UAS purchase choices
available that can be used in a variety of applications. This research assignment will focus on two
such UAS; the first is the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K, capable of full motion video
and still picture photography, and the second UAS is the Vortex 250 Pro,
predominately used in first person view (FPV) racing; along with their
associated sensor placement.
Sensors on UAS need to be
strategically placed to maximize their effectiveness and protect them from
unforeseen hazards. It is important for
companies to develop sensor placement strategies for their products. A good sensor placement strategy can improve
the overall efficiency of a sensor such as in global positioning navigation (Vitus & Tomlin, 2010). It has also been shown that an efficient
strategic sensor placement plan can increase software algorithm performance (Vitus
& Tomlin, 2010).
The
Typhoon Q500 4K manufactured by Yuneec Electric Aviation is a market competitive
quadcopter similar in specification to the popular DJI Phantom 3 (Estes,
2015). When selecting a UAS for the
purpose of high quality image collection, it is important to select a platform
with high quality sensors (“UAV sensors, n.d.).
An understanding of the light spectrum will help potential buyers pick
optic sensors that meet their desired needs (“UAV sensors”, n.d.). Visible light sensors, near infrared sensors,
and infrared sensors are each capable of capturing a specific light band that
falls within the electromagnetic spectrum (“UAV sensors”, n.d.). Therefore, it is important to purchase the
right sensor for the intended application and ensure its placement on the UAS
will produce effective results. The Q500
4K utilizes a visible light sensor that can be used across a variety of
applications such in agriculture, surveying, forestry, and surveillance (“UAV
sensors”, n.d.). The stabilized camera
is capable of 1080p adjustable high definition imagery with slow motion
capability, and can take 12-megapixel still pictures (Estes, 2015). The 1080p, 4K camera is mounted to the CG03
gimbal that yields a 130-degree field of view due to its placement below the
main body (Amato, 2015). The camera is
modular, meaning it can be detached from the UAS for future sensor and payload
upgrades (Amato, 2015).
Figure 1. Picture of the Typhoon Q500 4k quadcopter.
Adapted from “Yuneec announces new world class drone” by S. Patel (2015).
Retrieved from http://www.guysgab.com/yuneec-announces-new-world-class-drone/
Another
vital sensor installed on the Typhoon Q500 is the global positioning system
(GPS) receiver. This sensor enables the
pilot to easily fly and control the UAS.
The Q500 can be flown if GPS coverage is lost, however, it is more
difficult to control. GPS also creates a
geo-fence (virtual barrier), that will keep the Q500 within a 300 foot
perimeter of the operator if selected; additionally, if for some reason GPS
connectivity is lost, the Q500 will automatically fly back to the pilot’s
location ("Typhoon Q500 4K instructional manual," n.d.). GPS sensor placement is important to ensure
reliable signal reception. It is
important to remember, that GPS signal coverage may be lost if the quadcopter
is flown indoors. If the GPS receiver is
connected to at least seven satellites, the “Follow Me” mode can be selected
which will enable the Q500 to follow the pilot at selected altitude.
When
discussing first person view (FPV) UAS racing, the Vortex 250Pro is a
competitive and reasonable purchase. FPV
UAS racing, also known as quadcopter racing is somewhat of a new phenomenon
growing in popularity (Anthony, 2016).
During FPV racing, the pilot wears a pair of goggles that receives a video
feed from the FPV UAS, so the racer can be controlled (Anthony, 2016).
Figure 2. Image of the Vortex 250 Pro. Adapted from
“Immersion Vortex 250 Pro FPV Quadcopter” (2015). Retrieved from http://www.dronetrest.com/t/immersionrc-vortex-250-pro-fpv-quadcopter/1418
The Vortex 250 Pro camera mount can support
a flight cam or a high definition camera ("ImmersionRC Vortex 250 Pro FPV
quadcopter - Product - DroneTrest," 2015).
It is important that the camera be mounted in a position so it can
provide the pilot with needed perspective to successfully navigate the FPV UAS
racecourse, which could include obstacles.
The camera is protected by its placement in the UAS from impacts and is
supported by vibration dampened carbon fiber plate ("ImmersionRC Vortex
250 Pro FPV quadcopter - Product - DroneTrest," 2015).
Most
FPV UAS racers, when purchased, do not include the goggles. The goggles are not required to fly the
drone, but if they will enhance the experience, and if the UAS is used for
racing, based on my research, the goggles are a requirement to be
competitive. The goggles are what the
pilot wears, to allow them to optically fly the platform. It is recommended that the optics are glass
and have a digital head tracking technology, along with a field of view between
25% - 45% ("The ultimate FPV system guide 2016 - Best drone goggles",
2016). The camera on the UAS racer
transmits a feed to the receiver, which in turn transmits the feed to a display
("The ultimate FPV system guide - Everything explained -
DroneUplift," n.d.).
Figure 3. The basic setup of FPV UAS
system. Adapted from “The ultimate FPV system guide - Everything explained -
DroneUplift," (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.droneuplift.com/the-ultimate-fpv-system-guide-everything-explained/
The
Vortex 250 Pro also has an integrated full-graphic on screen display, an on
board black box that collects and records flight data for tuning purposes, 40
channel NexWaveRF video, and seven 32bit dedicated ARM (advanced RISC machine)
processors ("ImmersionRC Vortex 250 Pro FPV quadcopter - Product -
DroneTrest," 2015).
Whether
the UAS is used for aerial photography or for FPV racing, sensor placement is
important. If UAS sensors are not
strategically placed they will not achieve peak performance, nor will they be
protected from an unwanted crash.
References
Amato, A. (2015, April 2).
Yuneec Q500 Typhoon review - DRONELIFE. Retrieved from http://dronelife.com/2015/04/02/dronelife-reviews-the-yuneec-q500-typhoon/
Anthony, S. (2016, January
28). First-person drone racing is much harder than I expected | Ars Technica.
Retrieved from
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/01/first-person-drone-racing-is-much-harder-than-i-expected/
Estes, A. (2015, September
28). Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K review: This is my new favorite drone. Retrieved
from http://gizmodo.com/yuneec-typhoon-q500-4k-review-this-is-my-new-favorite-1731109743
ImmersionRC Vortex 250 Pro FPV
quadcopter - Product - DroneTrest. (2015, November). Retrieved from http://www.dronetrest.com/t/immersionrc-vortex-250-pro-fpv-quadcopter/1418
Patel, S. (2015, July 14).
Yuneec announces new world class drone - Guys Gab. Retrieved from http://www.guysgab.com/yuneec-announces-new-world-class-drone/
The ultimate FPV system guide -
Everything explained - DroneUplift. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.droneuplift.com/the-ultimate-fpv-system-guide-everything-explained/
The ultimate FPV system guide 2016
- Best drone goggles. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.dronethusiast.com/the-ultimate-fpv-system-guide/
Typhoon Q500 4K instructional
manual. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.wellbots.com/content/Yuneec/q500_4k_user_manual.pdf
UAV sensors. (n.d.). Retrieved
from http://www.questuav.com/news/uav-sensors
Vitus, M., &
Tomlin, C. (2010). Sensor placement for improved robotic
navigation. Retrieved from http://www.roboticsproceedings.org/rss06/p28.pdf
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