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Apr 02, 2023 Flight Test @ WRESTRC

Apr 02, 2023 Flight Test @ WRESTRC

Owned by Hamza Ali, created
Last updated: 2023-04-03 by Aidan Bowers (Deactivated)
9 min read

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

 Flight Preparation

Requested by:

@Hamza Ali

Required Sub-teams

Mech
Electrical
EFS
Autonomy
Operation
Sys-Int

Requested Date

Mar 20, 2023

Location and Time

WRESTRC, location booked from 1200 - 1800

Summary & Goals

Fixed Wing Testing, Proof of flight for competition, validate new Turnigy batteries for power delivery.

Pilot camera system test and record landing pad.

Potential goal as well: practice manual flight w/coordinated waypoints

Approved?

Yes / Pending / No

 Required Persons During Test

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

@Dhruv Upadhyay

905 213 0704

Flight Test Lead

  • Creating documentation

  • Booking the test flight

  • Creating a thread in #flight-staging

 @Anthony Luo

 

 Pilot in Command

  • Aircraft preparation

  • Site survey, required documentation

 

 

Safety

  • Making sure everyone is safe

  • Bringing Med kit

@Megan Spee

 

Secondary Pilot

  • Site survey, required documentation

@Anthony Luo

 

Houston Lead

  • Making sure the Houston VTX system is welling assembled by the flight test

 

 

 

 

 Other Attendees

Name

Role

Name

Role

@Hamza Ali

Operations, Photography

@Daniel Puratich

Electrical, Safety

@Mihir Gupta (Unlicensed)

Collection of Landing Pad Data

@Nolan Haines

Cornflakes electrical PM

@Alison Thompson

Cornflakes mechanical PM

@R D (Deactivated)

Collection of landing pad data

@Nathan Green

 

@Conall Kingshott

 

@Aidan Bowers (Deactivated)

 

@Hardy Yu

 

Drivers & Seat Arrangement

Driver

Vehicle Type

Passenger

Driver

Vehicle Type

Passenger

@Ethan Abraham

Dodge Caravan

 @Dhruv Upadhyay @Mihir Gupta (Unlicensed)

@R D (Deactivated)

???

 

@Megan Spee

Personal Vehicle

 @Anthony Luo @R D (Deactivated)

@Nathan Green

Personal Vehicle

 @Hardy Yu @Hamza Ali

@Aidan Bowers (Deactivated)

Personal Vehicle

@Daniel Puratich @Nolan Haines

@Conall Kingshott

Personal Vehicle

@Alison Thompson

 

 Success criteria

Tests

Success Criteria

Requirements

Outcome

Tests

Success Criteria

Requirements

Outcome

Fixed Wing 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

 

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

 

Landing via Ardupilot

The Return to Land function successfully bring the aircraft to the designated landing spot and land

The fixed wing should be validate first before this test

 

VTX Testing

Successfully receive the data and see the video transmitted from Houston

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

 

Turnigy Battery Validation

 

 

 

Landing Pad Footage

We have footage of all the requirements from the camera pointing to the ground (perpendicular to the horizon) that will be used for competition.

This task requires Houston, the camera pointed towards the ground (perpendicular to the horizon) on Houston, and an SD card to save the video.

The video footage should contain OSD and analog breakout. Essentially it should mimic what the Jetson and ML model will see at competition.

 

Testing Timeline

Date/Time

Action

Date/Time

Action

Mar 29, 2023

Aircraft Assembly

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 31, 2023

Pre-flight Preparation

Apr 1, 2023 Afternoon

Cornflake Validation Flight Test

  • This test will aim for validating cornflakes' normal behaviour under cold weather

  • Testing under normal quad module

  • Testing new VN300 module to replace gps

  • This can reduce the preparation time for Apr 2 since we can get ardupilot configured and system ready

Apr 2, 2023 9:00 am

Required persons for preflight preparation show up at bay

Flight test lead breifly assign task for preparation work

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

Apr 2, 2023 11:15am

Flight brief from flight test lead

Apr 2 2023 11:30am

Loading onto the Car

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

Apr2 2023 11:45am

Drive to the test ground

Apr 2 2023 12:00 - 3:00pm

Flight Testing

Apr 2 2023 3:30 pm

Debrief

 

Test Item On Apr 2

Detail

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

Test A

Houston pilot camera and system working

Test B

Record landing pad

Test C

Range test?

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

Drone Registration Number:

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)
Cornflakes batteries & spares
Transmitter batteries
Battery tester/indicator
Houston batteries and spares
Batteries for: Video relay, 5.8GHz monitor
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)
Airframe payload
Spare parts
Props
Airframe components (landing struts, arms, etc)
Hardware to assemble these components
Electronics
ESCs
Motors
Flight controllers
Receiver
Flight Code Flashed

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

  • Didn’t crash!

  • Collect sufficient footage for proof of flight

  • Range testing on 1.3GHz was successful with stable video @ 150m altitude

  • Smart about taking risks, made sure to investigate any problems, were cautious with any issues

  • Staged testing approach was effective

  • Batteries did not sag, at the end we were close to 7% capacity

  • Used custom WARG hardware (michael’s buck converters) for the ground station!

  • Effectively communicated with other people at WRESTRC

  • Verified ground video station

  • Got ample footage for CV training with landing pads

  • Radio protocol usage can still be improved

    • fIgnoring radio call-outs due to communication with Pilot in Command - priority of communication

    • Could alternatively say “standby” to indicate to caller that they cannot be responded to

  • Communication before taking off could be better

  • Priority of flight test: Cornflakes shouldn’t necessarily have to wait for other drones (e.g. the DJI) to get ready

    • Give more callouts (e.g. “starting pre-flight checklists”, “take-off imminent”)

    • yield to cornflakes

  • Practice with DJI drone usage

  • Communication after landing on next steps

    • “All-hold”, “All-clear”

  • Forgot nuts for wings, had to drive back (add to checklist)

  • Radio chatter during Houston flights was a slight problem for PIC

  • Almost forgot Houston props (again)

  • Make sure checklists get published on confluence

  • Servo trims did not save (potentially done by clicking extending trims)

  • All of these items were rectified, but could have likely been rectified beforehand

    • 1.3GHz vtx wire was loose on Houston

    • Ground lead on the video relay was loose at the bay

    • Props were loose on Cornflakes were lose before first flight

    • RFD Harness was loose

  • Fish-eye perspective on Houston downwards facing camera is difficult to perceive distance

  • 4:3 and 16:9 causes image to be stretched on monitors

  • Batteries were almost not charged before we left due to being unbalanced

  • Car battery charger is roughly useless - faster to charge by driving

    • Could charge 3S at 2A max

    • 4x 6S at 1A max

    • Roughly limited to 100W to 120W

  • Communicate at least one other person if leaving the group, even if you’re wanting ‘to go’

  • High vibration on Cornflakes as reported by the flight controller

    • Look into mounting FC on a more stable platform

  • Avionics platform is all on one single platform that’s not really stiff

  • Telemetry wiring was not ready for the flight test

  • Back third of the cabin was destroyed on the flight line, was successful but was necessary

  • Diagnosed an issue last flight test that was only partially addressed

    • Transition was an issue, diagnosed that the only issue was batteries, and not potentially airflow

  • Did not test the Vector-Nav.

  • Did not test waypoint following

  • Did not test autoland

  • No discussion on action items if crashes,

    • Did not discussion incident procedures

  • Did not achieve 20 m/s transition speed

    • Reached 15 m/s with tailwind (12 m/as TAS)

    • Potentially want to fly on 17 inch

    • Add airspeed sensor to aircraft

  • Signal wire on motor 5 / pusher motor was poor and disconnected during/before flight and was only found out in the sky

    • Add extra PWM/servo wires to the checklist

RCA for Red Items

  • Frying Baby Ratel camera

  • Battery testing using the E-load

  •  

Action Items

  • Mech team to come up with solutions for poor thrust @Conall Kingshott @Megan Spee

    • look at power usage/current delta during transition

  • Telemetry wiring from ESCs @Ethan Abraham

  • Update checklists as in Yellow/Red items @Dhruv Upadhyay

  • Address signal wire issues that we faced on the ESC

 

Other Resources

Booking WRESTRC Field

WRESTRC

 

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