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Mar 18, 2023 Flight Test

Mar 18, 2023 Flight Test

Owned by Hardy Yu, created
Last updated: 2023-03-26 by Hamza Ali
9 min read

Make sure to update the Title following the format “Jan 01, 2020 Flight Test”

 Flight Preparation

Requested by:

@Anthony Luo

Required Sub-teams

Mech
Electrical
EFS
CV
Operation
Sys-Int

Requested Date

Jan 25, 2023

Location and Time

WREST RC 12 - 6 pm

Summary & Goals

Approved?

Yes / Pending / No

 Required Persons During Test

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

 @Dhruv Upadhyay

 

Flight Test Lead

  • Creating documentation

  • Booking the test flight

  • Creating a thread in #flight-staging

 @Anthony Luo

 

 Pilot in Command

  • Aircraft preparation

  • Filling out documentation

@Ayoung Eun

 

Safety

  • Making sure everyone is safe

  • Bringing Med kit

@Megan Spee

 

Secondary Pilot

 

@Aidan Bowers (Deactivated)

 

Data Collector, Data Analyzer of Cornflake(?)

Coordinator of Houston

  • Assist pilot in cornflake test

  • Chasing down the progress of Houston assembling

@Ethan Abraham

 

Houston lead

  • delegate taskes to ppl, making sure Houston ready by flight test

@Joseph Bagheri

 

Chase drone pilot, photographer

 

 Other Attendees

Name (Tentative)

Role

Name (Tentative)

Role

Example: John Doe

Interested in being an observer!

@Nolan Haines

Cornflakes electrical PM

@Justin Joseph

 

@Sohee Yoon

 

@Aaditya Chaudhary

here for the vibes

@Daniel Puratich

Absolute Legend

@Neha Srivastava

I can be manual labor

@Michael Botros

 

Drivers & Seat Arrangement

Driver

Vehicle Type

Passenger

Driver

Vehicle Type

Passenger

@Anthony Luo

Personal car with Cornflakes

@Megan Spee

@Justin Joseph

Personal car

@Daniel Puratich @Nolan Haines@Sohee Yoon

@Aidan Bowers (Deactivated)

Personal car

@Ethan Abraham @Justin Joseph @Aaditya Chaudhary

@Michael Botros

Personal car

@Neha Srivastava @Ayoung Eun @Dhruv Upadhyay

 Success criteria

Tests

Success Criteria

Requirements

Outcome

Tests

Success Criteria

Requirements

Outcome

Fixed Wing Flight

Aircraft is able to fly in a fixed-wing configuration without issue

Cornflakes should be ready to fly, as outlined by all pre-flight checks

 

Quad-to-Fixed transition

Aircraft is able to successfully perform the transition from quad to fixed wing flight, and back.

Cornflakes should be ready to fly, as outlined by all pre-flight checks

 

Houston Setup Validation

Validate Houston has the correct setup after crashing from last flight test

Components on Houston are working and Houston is responsive to the control

 

FPV form Houston

Successfully receive the data and see the video transmitted from Houston

The camera, transmitter, and ground station need to be setup

 

Patch and Omni antenna performance and range testing on Houston

Get a sense of the antenna performance and transmition quality

Comparing the video quality between patch and omni antenna flying under the same path

 

Testing Timeline

Date/Time

Action

Date/Time

Action

Mar 13, 2023

Aircraft Assembly @Alison Thompson

If aircraft assembly is complicated, outline dates of various milestones that should be met to ensure we don't rush to complete work at the last minute.

Mar 17, 2023

Pre-flight Preparation @Hardy Yu

Feel free to not come at 9 if you don’t have a lot workload. During this time get snack if needed

Mar 18, 2023 9:00 am

Required persons for preflight preparation show up at bay

Flight test lead breifly assign task for preparation work

Mar 18, 2023. 11:15 am

Flight brief from flight test lead

Mar 18, 2023. 11:30 am

Loading onto the Car

Take your water bottle with you. Go washroom before we leave!

Mar 18, 2023. 11: 45 am

Drive to the test ground

Mar 18, 2023. 12:00 - 3:00 pm

Flight Testing

Mar 18, 2023. 3:30 pm

Debrief

Test #1

Quad Sanity Check

  • Sanity check to the cornflake under quad mode with angled mounts

  • Test includes the regular procedure of takeoff/landing, yaw control, buddy box

  • Making sure we have the correct prop & servo setup

  • Battery cheching after this test to learn about battery health

Test #2

Transition & Fixed Wing Flight (brief, 1 circle)

  • Trasition will take place in a straight line

  • After the trasition is done, the drone should fly in fixed wing for one circle, the return to quad mode

  • during this process, making sure the drone maintain altitude and flight forward while avoid other people

  • TODO: the flight path needs to be determined

Test #3

Transition & Fixed Wing Flight second pilot

  • repeat everything with second pilot

Test #4

Fixed wing “waypoint” navigation

  • Setup a destination on mission planner and run the drone in autopilot

  • Wait is the fixed wing or quad? I suppose this should be quad.

  • drone maintain altitude all the time

  • TODO: the waypoint needs to be determined

Test #5

Quad Mode RTL

  • Quad mode to RTL. Start close and then move further away.

  • to see if it autoland

Test #6

Transition to fix wing then RTL

  • Fly the drone away-> transition to fix wings-> RTL

  • we expect the drone transition to quad and autoland

  • but this is risky and we don’t know what’s gonna happen. Also the batteries may not support us to do this test, so this might move to 18th flight test

Houston to do list:

@Daniel Puratich

  • air side transmiter working

    • on screen display wired in

    • pilot camera wired (will not take 12s)

    • video transmitter capable of receiving 12V (3s ONLY)

    • correct cables for both dipole & omni antenna.

  • groundside receiver/relay tower working

    • 1.3ghz receiver working

    • correct cables for both dipole & patch anetnna.

    • 5.8GHz Relay wired in.

    • Power available to entire system (12V - 3s ONLY for vrx)

  • FPV devices ready

    • Goggles working

    • Monitor working

    • 5.8vrx → RCA → USB working

Aircraft Incident Procedures

Emergency Procedures:

  • Imminent Emergency: 911

  • Privacy offence: Local police

  • Fly away or loss of control - Local Aviation Authority (Refer to CFS)

    • This applies to both vertical and horizontal fly aways

Control Station Failure

In the event of a control station failure, the following steps should be taken:

  • Attempt to restart the transmitter

  • Use spare transmitter to communicate to drone

  • If unable to establish communication with the drone, follow lost link procedures

Equipment Failure

  • Battery

    • Do not fly if the battery appears dead or a problem is suspected. Puffy batteries should be ignored

  • Transmitter should be verified before flight

  • Props

    • Ensure in flight worthy condition (ex: no dings, etc)

  • Control Surfaces

    • Smooth, verify servo control, pushrod integrity

RPA Failure

In the event of an RPA failure, the drone should be disarmed - this will stop all motors. The following steps should be followed:

  • Secure the area where the RPA will land

    • Do NOT fly the drone over an area where the RPA can unexpectedly land for this reason. Thus, flying over people is NOT permitted in this drone

  • Secure the drone and disconnect the battery

  • Do NOT fly the drone until inspected

Lost Link

In the event of loss of transmitter link, the pixhawk will activate return to home mode. If the RTH mode does not engage, initiate fly away procedures

Fly Away

In the event a fly-away occurs (both vertical and horizontal), the following procedures should be taken:

  • Attempt to regain communication by following lost link procedures

  • If unsuccessful, record last heading, speed, and altitude

    • Additionally, know the last battery level to estimate flight time

  • Alert local aviation authorities about new flight path and potential conflicts

Flight Termination

The flight may be terminated by disarming the drone - this will stop all motors. This should be used with caution as the aircraft will be rendered inoperable and unable to glide under control.

Week-Before To-Do List

Drone Registration
Flight test location booked
Pilot scheduled
Test Plan (What we are testing)
This should also include the flight path where applicable
Subteam action items (for flight readiness)
Transportation logistics finalized
Booking SDC vehicles
Assigning drivers
Renting any needed equipment (trailer? generator? etc.)

Day-Before To-Do List

SDC Vehicle key collected (if required)
Batteries Planned for (DON'T LEAVE CHARGING OVERNIGHT)
Drone batteries & spares
Transmitter batteries
On-site kit together
First Aid Kit
Ground station / Laptop
Antenna / Receivers
Transmitter
Extra Water
Power cords / Extension cables
Wrenches
Allen keys
Knives
Tape
Rope/string
Zip/Velcro ties
Radios
Safety goggles
Fire extinguisher
Airfame assembled
ESCs/flight controller wired
Radio equipment tested
Channel mappings
Flight modes
Motors tested
Wiring secured (Harnessing)
End to end test (neglecting props)
Check the center of gravity
All components not on the airframe that are required should be in the flight box (e.g. props & prop nuts)
Airfame payload
Spare parts
Props
Airframe components (landing struts, arms, etc)
Hardware to assemble these components
Electronics
ESCs
Motors
Flight controllers
Receiver
Flight Code Flashed
Ground station Software updated

Pre-Departure Checklist

Take the WREST RC entrance card
Check battery status
Charge if required, otherwise place into flight box
Systems test
Check flight controller orientation
Check motor spin & rotation direction
Check transmitter mappings
Verify communication links (VTX/RX, Controller, Groundstation)
Verify the mission planner is logging data
Only attach props directly before flight (keep off at all other times)
Get snacks
Mission Briefing
Read the flight plan to the team (that was made a week ago)
Purpose of flight
Plan of action
Success criteria
Delegate and brief on flight line roles
Safety Briefing
Key flight characteristics to observe
Key system characteristics to observe
Measurements to be made

Pre-flight Safety Checklist

Air Frame
Check all antennas, ensuring they are secure and in good condition
Check the battery emplacement and secure attachment and ensure there are no cracks
Check that all lights are operating normally
Check that all sensors are secured and clear of any obstructions
Check that the GPS is receiving satellites and providing a navigation solution
For fixed wing aircraft, Check:
Wings, ensuring they are securely attached to fuselage
Wing leading edge surfaces
Top and bottom of wing surfaces
Wing tip surfaces
Read of wing and all flight control surfaces for freedom of movement, security and any skin damage
For rotary aircraft:
Inspect top and bottom of air frame arms for cracks, loose parts, or signs of damage
Check fluid levels and ensure no leaks if applicable
Control Surfaces
Ensure Elevator moves correctly
Ensure Ailerons move correctly
Ensure Rudder moves correctly
Landing Gear
Check landing gear is secure
Inspect skids or wheels, especially attachment points
Power plant
Cowling or motor casing
Security of engine mounts
Presence of any cracks
All wiring and connectors, ensure no cracks, loose connectors, or chaffing
Propellers / Rotors
Ensure propeller is secured
Check for nicks, chips or cracks
Ensure prop direction is correct
Batteries
Inspect to ensure there is no signs of swelling, external leaking or other defects
Battery wiring and connectors from the battery are connected securely
Batteries (and spares) are adequately charged
Wires are not pinched
Control Station / Receivers / Transmitter
The battery and spare batteries if required are adequately charged
Control Station device and cables are properly connected and functioning
All flight interfaces are functioning normally
Safety
Good visibility and safe wind speed
Surrounding is free of obstacles
Crew far from drone
General Site Survey
Are there other people on the property
Ground Recording / drone footage on
Autopilot
Control surfaces respond to autopilot in the correct manner
Transitions between flight modes have expected effect
Return-to-home systems, if present, have been configured

Post-Flight Checklist

Item

Owner

Item

Owner

Use Flight-Post Mortem to Debrief

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT

Discard of damaged batteries

 

Discharge used batteries for better longevity

 

Flight Test Post Mortem

  • Flew and didn’t crash in the wind.

  • Control surfaces functioned mechanically

  • Yaw authority in the wind.

  • No Major Elec Issues

  • didn’t need fire extinguisher (safety capt)

  • improved communication

  • configurations were fast & we were generally efficient

  • We did have a transition.

  • Tent didn’t fly away. Used a tent!

  • humans handled the cold.

  • Overall communication good, large part of radio communication is small concise messages. Sometimes you’d have long talks on the radio.

  • Servo for elevator failed (left side)

  • Didn’t hit target deadlines leaving (vtx/etc)

  • Handled the weather? Did not complete all tasks for the transitions.

  • Feels bad for sending daniel out. Generally not being dressed for weather.

  • Hard to communicate what needs to be done, lots of things that are not communicated…. hard to ask what to do.

  • Bringing the tent. It stood up.

    • people had to hold the tent

    • umbrella v tent?

    • thermal blanket?

  • Rotating in/out of the car

    • (weather protocols)

  • Spilling drinks is an L

  • Tape needs to be warm to work.

    • elements of tape do not stick.

    • Velcro?

    • Rubber bands?

  • Battery sag?

    • brand new batteries underperforming significantly. Will check logs.

  • Radio Usage

    • need to call peoples names, check messages received, etc.

  • The RC controller slave settings were reset - causing confusion

    • Know for next time

  • undefined roles leaves lots of people not doing much

    • try to have people aware of what is going, bring them into the flight test and see how it all goes.

  • Need to announce when tests are happening ,,, more clarity on knowing what is going on.

  • Telemetry port connector broken

    • connector works but does not lock (cable side)

  • Groundside Telemetry tower disconnecting.

  • Batteries

    • sagged hard to 36 ish volts in regular quad flight?

  • Shifting antenna tower can cause RFD900x to lose connection due to change in angle, position of wires, etc.

  • Left side elevator servo keeps on failing on a semi-consistent basis

  • Tent perhaps belongs as a “RED” item?

  • weren’t able to fully transition to fixed wing.

  • Chipping the propeller.

  • Rudder ripping off

  • VTX couldn’t be tested

RCA for Red Items

Create a RCA and keep it as a child page.

  • Create RCA for battery sag issue@Daniel Puratich

  • RCA for 1.3 GHz VTX Issue @Anthony Luo

Action Items

Fix telemetry port connector (replace with new ones since old ones don’t lock)
Replace inconsistent servo
@Daniel Puratich will own RCA and solution to determine battery sag issue
Radio Protocol @Daniel Puratich Flight Test Radio Protocol
Mechanical needs to fix damages to the frame
Enclosure solution for avionics
@Anthony Luo will direct VTX troubleshooting for 1.3 GHz
Communicate w mech re VTX for mounting beforehand

Other Resources

Booking WRESTRC Field

WRESTRC

 

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