Historicalarchived
Autopilot Development for Micro Air Vehicles
AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB
During 2003, AFRL contracted Procerus™ Technologies to develop the Kestrel [version] 1.45 autopilot. This unit included features to enable autonomous flight, a data link interface, three servo position commands, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) input interface. It weighed 40 g and test-flew in UAVs weighing under 1 lb. In 2004, Procerus created the Kestrel 2.0 autopilot, a more capable autopilot weighing just 16.7 g. The Kestrel 2.0 autopilot includes the sensors and interfaces required for a functional and easy-to-use UAV. The unit’s three accelerometers, three temperature-compensated rate gyros, GPS interface, pressure transducers for airspeed and altitude, and four servo outputs enable autonomous flight with GPS navigation. A modem interface allows users to upload new waypoints and download sensor data. Engineers made provisions for an integrated payload system by including payload communication and control and supplying electrical power at 3.3 V and 5 V.
Applications
- Military and Commercial Significance:
- AFRL is combining warfighter requirements and the latest avionics technologies to develop autopilots that enable effective micro air vehicle (MAV) systems. The development of smaller autopilots will enable even smaller and less expensive unmanned air vehicles (UAV).
- MAVs are the size and shape of small, radio-controlled hobby aircraft. With the miniaturization of avionics and sensors, they are becoming valuable battlefield assets. Autopilot hardware and software benefited from a spiral development approach. Engineers can easily update both hardware and software to meet future needs and requirements. While the Spiral 1 (Kestrel 1.45) development effort satisfied initial control conditions, engineers rapidly implemented lessons learned in Spiral 2 (Kestrel 2.0). As requirements continue to evolve with warfighter input, flight test results, and supplier data, engineers will continue to incorporate new technology in future spiral development cycles in support of those needs.
- Small, capable autopilots enable the development of MAVs that satisfy multiple missions. Because the Kestrel 2.0 autopilot enables autonomous navigation, provides payload support, and allows data link communications in a remarkably small package, it is uniquely suited for such broadscale MAV development. AFRL will continue to add autopilot capability while minimizing size and cost to support tomorrow’s warfighter.
- Military Significance: Surveillance
- Reconnaissance
- Target Identification and
- Battlefield
- Assessment
- Commercial Significance:
- Search and Rescue
- Wildlife and Forest Management
- Border Patrol
- Traffic Monitoring
- Aerial Mapping
- Additional
- Uses:
- Environmental Monitoring (e.g., pollution, weather, scientific applications)
- Forest Fire Monitoring
- Drug Interdiction
- Precision Agriculture
- Disaster Relief, and
- Ad-hoc Communications Networks
Provenance
- Original
- https://dodtechmatch.com/dod/successstories/view.aspx?id=60058
- Archived copy
- Wayback Machine snapshot
This record was recovered from a public web archive of dodtechmatch.com and is preserved for historical reference. It may be outdated. Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Contact details from the original listing have been withheld.