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The design and implementation of vision-based autonomous rotorcraft landing

Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: De Jager, Andries Matthys
Other Authors: Peddle, I. K.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2011
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access_status_str Open Access
author De Jager, Andries Matthys
author2 Peddle, I. K.
author_browse De Jager, Andries Matthys
Peddle, I. K.
author_facet Peddle, I. K.
De Jager, Andries Matthys
author_sort De Jager, Andries Matthys
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv University of Stellenbosch
description Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6523
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:46:39.009Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2011
publishDateRange 2011
publishDateSort 2011
publisher Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
publisherStr Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6523 The design and implementation of vision-based autonomous rotorcraft landing De Jager, Andries Matthys Peddle, I. K. University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Autonomous helicopter landing Pose estimation Vision based position -- Measurement Dissertations -- Electronic engineering Theses -- Electronic engineering Helicopters -- Landing -- Control Drone aircraft -- Control Helicopters -- Altitude -- Measurement Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis presents the design and implementation of all the subsystems required to perform precision autonomous helicopter landings within a low-cost framework. To obtain high-accuracy state estimates during the landing phase a vision-based approach, with a downwards facing camera on the helicopter and a known landing target, was used. An e cient monocular-view pose estimation algorithm was developed to determine the helicopter's relative position and attitude during the landing phase. This algorithm was analysed and compared to existing algorithms in terms of sensitivity, robustness and runtime. An augmented kinematic state estimator was developed to combine measurements from low-cost GPS and inertial measurement units with the high accuracy measurements from the camera system. High-level guidance algorithms, capable of performing waypoint navigation and autonomous landings, were developed. A visual position and attitude measurement (VPAM) node was designed and built to perform the pose estimation and execute the associated algorithms. To increase the node's throughput, a compression scheme is used between the image sensor and the processor to reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed. This reduces processing requirements and allows the entire system to remain on-board with no reliance on radio links. The functionality of the VPAM node was con rmed through a number of practical tests. The node is able to provide measurements of su cient accuracy for the subsequent systems in the autonomous landing system. The functionality of the full system was con rmed in a software environment, as well as through testing using a visually augmented hardware-in-the-loop environment. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis beskryf die ontwikkeling van die substelsels wat vir akkurate outonome helikopter landings benodig word. 'n Onderliggende doel was om al die ontwikkeling binne 'n lae-koste raamwerk te voltooi. Hoe-akkuraatheid toestande word benodig om akkurate landings te verseker. Hierdie metings is verkry deur middel van 'n optiese stelsel, bestaande uit 'n kamera gemonteer op die helikopter en 'n bekende landingsteiken, te ontwikkel. 'n Doeltreffende mono-visie posisie-en-orientasie algoritme is ontwikkel om die helikopter se posisie en orientasie, relatief tot die landingsteiken, te bepaal. Hierdie algoritme is deeglik ondersoek en vergelyk met bestaande algoritmes in terme van sensitiwiteit, robuustheid en uitvoertyd. 'n Optimale kinematiese toestandswaarnemer, wat metings van GPS en inersiele sensore kombineer met die metings van die optiese stelsel, is ontwikkel en deur simulasie bevestig. Hoe-vlak leidingsalgoritmes is ontwikkel wat die helikopter in staat stel om punt-tot-punt navigasie en die landingsprosedure uit te voer. 'n Visuele posisie-en-orientasie meetnodus is ontwikkel om die mono-visie posisie-en orientasie algoritmes uit te voer. Om die deurset te verhoog is 'n saampersingsalgoritme gebruik wat die hoeveelheid data wat verwerk moet word, te verminder. Dit het die benodigde verwerkingskrag verminder, wat verseker het dat alle verwerking op aanboord stelsels kan geskied. Die meetnodus en mono-visie algoritmes is deur middel van praktiese toetse bevestig en is in staat om metings van voldoende akkuraatheid aan die outonome landingstelsel te verskaf. Die werking van die volledige stelsel is, deur simulasies in 'n sagteware en hardeware-indie- lus omgewing, bevestig. 2011-02-28T09:48:28Z 2011-03-14T08:15:33Z 2011-02-28T09:48:28Z 2011-03-14T08:15:33Z 2011-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6523 en_ZA University of Stellenbosch 151 p. : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
spellingShingle Autonomous helicopter landing
Pose estimation
Vision based position -- Measurement
Dissertations -- Electronic engineering
Theses -- Electronic engineering
Helicopters -- Landing -- Control
Drone aircraft -- Control
Helicopters -- Altitude -- Measurement
De Jager, Andries Matthys
The design and implementation of vision-based autonomous rotorcraft landing
title The design and implementation of vision-based autonomous rotorcraft landing
title_full The design and implementation of vision-based autonomous rotorcraft landing
title_fullStr The design and implementation of vision-based autonomous rotorcraft landing
title_full_unstemmed The design and implementation of vision-based autonomous rotorcraft landing
title_short The design and implementation of vision-based autonomous rotorcraft landing
title_sort design and implementation of vision based autonomous rotorcraft landing
topic Autonomous helicopter landing
Pose estimation
Vision based position -- Measurement
Dissertations -- Electronic engineering
Theses -- Electronic engineering
Helicopters -- Landing -- Control
Drone aircraft -- Control
Helicopters -- Altitude -- Measurement
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6523
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