Evaluation of a Remote Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) for Agricultural Use (Part II)

Abstract

A prototype of a remote piloted aircraft system RPAS was evaluated. It was a quadcopter type, with a system that allows autonomous and stable flights to obtain georeferenced images, through the instrumentation of a RGB sensor (Sony IMX117) and a GPS. The RPAS was built and equipped with a Pixhawk controller with GPS, 1400kv race star engines, eight-inch propellers (8045) and 30A ESC. The "ArduCopter V3.611" firmware was installed in the flight controller (specific for quadcopters) and the accelerometer, compass, radio, flight modes (loiter, stabilize and RTL) and 20 mA telemetry were calibrated. In addition, the flight and control parameters of the RPAS were adjusted, with a horizontal and vertical forward speed of 1 m/s, maximum flight height of 30m, minimum flight voltage of 10.5v and an adjustment in the PID control of P=0.046, I=0.047 and D=0.0036 in the roll and pitch axes and values of P=0.1, I=0.025 and D=0.5 in the yaw axis. Flight tests were performed in autonomous missions with a constant speed of 1 m/s, at a height of 20m and with winds not higher than 5 Km/h. An average consumption of 1520 mAh was obtained for 7 minutes of flight, vibrations less than 18 m/s^2 and movements in the "yaw", "pitch" and "roll" axes smaller than 6 degrees.