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Benefits of GPS-aided altitude estimation in multirotor drones

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.

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Main Author: Van der Merwe, V.
Other Authors: Smit, W. J.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2021
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access_status_str Open Access
author Van der Merwe, V.
author2 Smit, W. J.
author_browse Smit, W. J.
Van der Merwe, V.
author_facet Smit, W. J.
Van der Merwe, V.
author_sort Van der Merwe, V.
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/110131
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:41:18.607Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/110131 Benefits of GPS-aided altitude estimation in multirotor drones Van der Merwe, V. Smit, W. J. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Altitudes -- Measurement Kalman Filtering Sensor Fusion Multirotor UCTD Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2021. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ongoing research investigates the use of drones for heliostat calibration,however, is limited by the quality of the collected data and thus the positional accuracy of the drone. Evaluation of various drone models identified the altitude to be the least accurate and in most cases was measured using a single barometer, which is prone to sensor drift and disturbances.To address the issue, the study proposed GPS-aided altitude estimation using a Kalman filter, in addition to sensor fusion based on Covariance Inter-section with the testing done via simulations. In addition to testing a GPS and RTK-GPS, the estimation and correction of the barometer drift were evaluated. Lastly, the relationship between the altitude and drift estimation ac-curacy based on differences in the sensor noise ratios were also investigated.The results indicated minimal benefit and effectiveness in the RTK-GPS and GPS cases, thus exhibiting single sensor dominance. The sensor noise ratios illustrate the benefits of GPS-aided altitude estimation, with the improvement in accuracy being largely dependent on the difference in the ratio. Furthermore, a window for optimal benefit was identified between the ratios of 0.6and 4, with the improvement in accuracy rapidly decreasing as the ratio becomes less than unity. The research provides insight regarding the expected accuracy improvementof the altitude estimate for a wide range of sensor ratios, while also illustrating the accuracy and benefits of drift estimation and correction when using GPS altitude measurements and sensor fusion. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voortgesette navorsing ondersoek die gebruik van hommeltuie vir helio-staatkalibrasie, maar word beperk deur die kwaliteit van die versamelde dataen dus die posisionele akkuraatheid van die hommeltuig. Die evaluering vanverskillende hommeltuigmodelle het aangedui dat die hoogte die minste akku-raat is en in meeste gevalle deur ’n enkele barometer gemeet word, wat geneigis tot sensordryf en versteurings. Om die probleem aan te spreek, het die studieGPS-gesteunde hoogte afskatting voorgestel deur middel van ’n Kalman-filter,asook sensorfusie gebaseer op kovariansie-kruising, en die toetse uitgevoer deursimulasies. Insluitend die toets van ’n GPS en ’n RTK-GPS, is die afskattingen regstelling van die barometerdryf geevalueer. Laastens is die verband tussendie akkuraatheid van die hoogte- en drywingsafskattings gebaseer op verskillein die sensor geraas verhoudings ook ondersoek.Die resultate het ’n minimale voordeel en effektiwiteit getoon in die RTK-GPS en GPS-gevalle en toon die oorheersing van enkele sensors. Die sensorgeraas verhoudings illustreer die voordele van GPS-ondersteunde hoogte af-skatting, met die verbetering van die akkuraatheid, wat grootliks afhang vandie verskil in die geraas verhouding. Verder is ’n interval vir optimale voordeelgeïdentifiseer tussen die verhoudings van 0.6 en 4, met die verbetering in akku-raatheid wat vinnig afneem namate die verhouding verlaag word vanaf eenheid.Die navorsing bied insig ten opsigte van die verwagte akkuraatheidsverbeteringvan die hoogteafskatting vir ’n wye verskeidenheid sensor verhoudings, terwyldit ook die akkuraatheid en voordele van drywingsafskatting en -korreksie il-lustreer tydens die gebruik van GPS-hoogtemetings en sensorfusie. Masters 2021-03-05T14:31:38Z 2021-04-21T14:41:55Z 2021-03-05T14:31:38Z 2021-04-21T14:41:55Z 2021-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/110131 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 78 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Altitudes -- Measurement
Kalman Filtering
Sensor Fusion
Multirotor
UCTD
Van der Merwe, V.
Benefits of GPS-aided altitude estimation in multirotor drones
title Benefits of GPS-aided altitude estimation in multirotor drones
title_full Benefits of GPS-aided altitude estimation in multirotor drones
title_fullStr Benefits of GPS-aided altitude estimation in multirotor drones
title_full_unstemmed Benefits of GPS-aided altitude estimation in multirotor drones
title_short Benefits of GPS-aided altitude estimation in multirotor drones
title_sort benefits of gps aided altitude estimation in multirotor drones
topic Altitudes -- Measurement
Kalman Filtering
Sensor Fusion
Multirotor
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/110131
work_keys_str_mv AT vandermerwev benefitsofgpsaidedaltitudeestimationinmultirotordrones