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2024-04-06 Pegasus CS2

2024-04-06 Pegasus CS2

Owned by Megan Spee
Last updated: 2024-04-16 by Mena Azab

 

Requesting team: Leads/Directors/Comp 24 team

Items TBD:

  • Test Procedures/Test Cards

Sections for flightline team to fill out:

  • Incident Procedures, communication preferences.

  • Test Cards

Admin Preparation

Flight test approved

Requested By

@Megan Spee

Sub-Team Review

(To be checked once reviewed by sub-team representative)

Mechanical
Electrical
EFS
Autonomy
Operations

Date of Request

Apr 4, 2024

Goal Summary

Test full pegasus system

Test groundside tracking antenna software

 

Status?

Desired Airframe

Pegasus, Houston

Desired Date(s)

April 6

Testplan - to be filled out by requesting team

Create ONE table per test-item. Eg: “Landing pad images over asphalt”, “landing pad images over grass”, “landing pad images over grass, high” should all be unique tables.

Use each expand to capture one series of tests, eg “Landing pad detection” or “Auto-tuning”.

Test 1 - Calibrate Magnetometer

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

Knockoff criteria

  1. Turn on the drone

 

 

  1. Perform magnetometer calibration on the flightline

  • Recalibrate the Magnetometer onboard

  • simulate magnetometer recalibration during competition.

  • Magnetometer calibration process incomplete

 

Test 2 - Manual Controls Checks

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

Knockoff criteria

  1. Turn on the drone

 

 

  1. Bring the drone to the flightline

 

 

  1. Enable logging

 

 

  1. Arm in loiter

 

 

  1. Test Full stick deflection in all axises

  • Test the control of the drone

  • Check if Yaw twitch issue still exist (observed at the previous flight test)

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

  1. Check no telemetry link lost and OSD malfunction issue

  • Check telemetry link

  • Check OSD quality during flight

  • OSD not displayed on the screen

    • Good to continue the flight

  • LTE lost link

    • RTL the drone

  1. Manually land the drone

 

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

Test 1 - Fly multiple laps

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

Knockoff criteria

  1. Turn on the drone and load the passenger

  • simulate with payload situation

 

  1. Execute the path_2024 to upload the mission 1 path

  • Make sure waypoint can be flashed onto the drone via dronekit

  • Waypoint flashing not successful

  • Wrong waypoint is being flashed onto the drone

  1. Bring the drone to the flightline

 

 

  1. Enable logging

 

 

  1. Arm in Auto

 

 

  1. Wait for the drone to complete 2 laps and land.

  • Make sure drone is following the flight path as expected

  • Check no LTE link lost during flight

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

Test 1 - Spline path flight

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

knock-off criteria

  1. Turn on the drone and load the passenger

  • simulate with payload situation

 

  1. Execute the path_2024 to upload the mission 2 path

  • Make sure waypoint can be flashed onto the drone via dronekit

  • Waypoint flashing not successful

  • Wrong waypoint is being flashed onto the drone

  1. Bring the drone to the flightline

 

 

  1. Enable logging

 

 

  1. Arm in Auto

 

 

  1. Wait for the drone to complete 2 laps and land.

  • Make sure drone is following the flight path as expected

  • Check no LTE link lost during flight

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

Test 1 - Pilot 1 control check

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

knock-off criteria

  1. Turn on the drone and load the passenger

  • simulate with payload situation

 

  1. Bring the drone to the flightline

 

 

  1. Enable logging

 

 

  1. Arm in loiter

 

 

  1. Apply Full stick deflection in all axises

  • Pilot getting familiar with pegasus control

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

  1. Move full speed in pitch and row

  • Pilot getting familiar with pegasus control

  • Pilot getting familiar with loiter position hold behavior when no pitch or roll input is given

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

  1. Centralize the stick

  • Pilot getting familiar with pegasus drifting behavior

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

  1. Manually land the drone

  • Just below 50% throttle to achieve smooth landing

 

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

Test 2 - Pilot 1 landing training

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

knock-off criteria

  1. Turn on the drone and load the passenger

  • simulate with payload situation

 

  1. Bring the drone to the flightline

 

 

  1. Enable logging

 

 

  1. Arm in loiter

 

 

  1. Hover the drone above the landing position

  • Pilot getting familiar with FPV goggles and pilot camera set up

  • GSO getting familiar with callout procedure(in case osd does not work or additional information)

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

  1. land the drone as close to the landing pad

  • Pilot practice to land the drone in the landing spot

  • Drone hit the nearby obstacles

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

Test 3 - Pilot 2 control check

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

knock-off criteria

  1. Turn on the drone

 

 

  1. Bring the drone to the flightline

 

 

  1. Enable logging

 

 

  1. Arm in loiter

 

 

  1. Apply Full stick deflection in all axises

  • Pilot getting familiar with pegasus control

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

  1. Move full speed in pitch and row

  • Pilot getting familiar with pegasus control

  • Pilot getting familiar with loiter position hold behavior when no pitch or roll input is given

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

  1. Centralize the stick

  • Pilot getting familiar with pegasus drifting behavior

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

  1. Manually land the drone

  • Just below 50% throttle to achieve smooth landing

 

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

Test 2 - Pilot 1 landing training

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

knock-off criteria

  1. Turn on the drone

 

 

  1. Bring the drone to the flightline

 

 

  1. Enable logging

 

 

  1. Arm in loiter

 

 

  1. Hover the drone above the landing position

  • Pilot getting familiar with FPV goggles and pilot camera set up

  • GSO getting familiar with callout procedure(in case osd does not work or additional information)

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

  1. land the drone as close to the landing pad

  • Pilot practice to land the drone in the landing spot

  • Drone hit the nearby obstacles

  • Drone unstable

  • unable to establish VLOS

  • Timer threshold:

    • flight time exceeded 5 min.

    VBatt below safety threshold: 40V

    • QLAND immediately, disarm when landed.

    • Recover drone & gather state of batteries

    Lost link

    • Follow lost link procedures. Maintain vlos if possible.

    • Contact necessary local authorities.

Explain what capacity you need, what needs to be mounted, etc.

Necessary items:

  • Pegasus

  • Houston

Flight characteristics needed:

Comms / Support needed:

Attendees

This is a section for all attendees from your subteam which will be present for this flight test. (because they are testing their products, or otherwise)

Name

Phone #

Sub-team

Role

Name

Phone #

Sub-team

Role

@Megan Spee

 

 

Media collection/ org / driver

@Smile Khatri

 

 

Hardware

@Yuchen Lin

 

 

flightline team

@Nathan Green

 

 

flightline team / Driver

@Tong Zhang

 

 

auto

@Balaji Leninrajan

 

 

auto-airside

@Georgia Westerlund

 

 

Media

@Amy Hu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This section and remaining to be filled out by FTC and Flightline Team

Flightline Team

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

@Yuchen Lin

 

PIC

Practicing for Comp

@Nathan Green

 

GSO

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-Flight Preparation

Checklists

Software configuration correct

  • Compare against latest baselines and verify no params changed, or changes approved by comp-ft-team

  • Autopilot Orientation checked

  • Motors tested

  • Sensors outputs healthy & within range

  • Controller input mappings correct

  • Controller input choices correct for pilot preferences

  • Wireless trainer tested & working per pilot preferences.

Hardware (wiring)

  • Wires are not too tight or too loose (comfortable, not strained, not flapping around)

    • No cut/exposed wires

    • Shrouding is neat + presentable

    • Solder joints look good

      • no cracks

      • no corrossion

      • no exposed contacts (unless expected)

    • Connectors fully plugged in

    • Connectors in good health

Hardware (airframe)

  • Bolts secure (nothing loose)

    • Carbon fiber not cracked

    • 3D prints not failing / crushed / cracked

    • No loose items

Hardware (groundstation)

  • ELRS Gemini tested & Working

    • Logging correct

    • Data looks correct

    • Control tower tested & working

  • Tracking antenna x2 (control + video) (mechanical)

    • Servos secure

    • Hardware (antennas) secure

    • No cracks/bends/chips in polycarb/aluminum

    • Gears / shafts look healthy

    • Grease if necessary

  • Tracking antenna x2 (control + video) (electrical)

    • Electrical components secure

    • Power delivery / signal wires secure, no cracks/corrosion/damage

  • Video System

    • goggles(?)

    • Monitors(?)

    • Video tower tested & working

  • Laptop w/mission planner configured correctly.

    • LTE Link tested working

Flightline Kit

  • Spare motors

  • Spare props

  • Spare tools

    • Metric allen keys

    • Socket set

    • Pliers (flatnose + needle nose)

  • USB-C cable (short & long)

  • Soldering iron + heat shrink + spare cables

  • Power supplies for ground station computer

  • Ground station computer

  • Spare bolts

  • Radio Controllers

  • Mission plan clear

  • flightline roles assigned

  • Communication hierarchy established

  • Incident procedures & roles in-place & briefed to all flightline team members

  • Timeline for day-of clear

  • Battery charging plan, equipment management plan clear.

  • Transportation clear

  • Batteries in safety bag

  • Equipment

    • Zip tie

    • duck tape

    • label maker

    • Type c cable

    • ELRS/gemini

    • charged WARG laptop

    • spare bag for small electronics

    • controller box

      • two controller

      • battery tester

    • VTX box

  • execute

  • Debrief

  • clean / store equipment if necessary

Incident Procedures

Flight Test Timeline

Date/Time

Action

Notes

Date/Time

Action

Notes

 

Leave WARG bay

 

 

Setup the drone

 

 

Card 1 test 1

 

 

Tried Card 1 test 2 (motor direction issue)

 

 

replace the prop and tape the landing gear

 

 

Card 1 test 2

 

 

Card 2 test 1 (abort)

 

 

Card 4 test 1 

 

 

 Calc the magfit

 

 

Card 2 test 1(1 lap only)

 

 

Card 3 test 1

 

 

Card 2 test 1 (adjusted laps)

 

 

Crashed huston

 

DEBRIEF

  •  

  •  

  •  

 

Flight test debrief report

Card 1

Flight planning

  • Take off and test the control of the drone

Flight test card requirements/objectives Performance

  • calibrate mag sensor

Control performance & payload situation

  • Pilot does not observed noticable control issue

Identified issue

  • Formalized the mag data

Issue need to be RCA

  • Motor direction → need to add to preflight checklist for every flight

  • One battery out of the four batteries are not plugged in → add to check list

No logged is analysed for this section

 

Card 2

flight 1

Flight planning

  • Try to run the pull path but abort at the mid way

Flight test card requirements/objectives Performance

  • EKF warning during auto mission flight(abort the mission)

Control performance & payload situation

  • NAV speed limit: 15m/s

Identified issue

  • YAW twitch issue still being observed

  • maybe need to balance prop

Issue need to be RCA

  • Does MAgfit enough, or tie down do the actual calibration?

 

image-20240406-183218.png
Aborted flight

 

image-20240406-183332.png

EKF value with distance

 

flight 2

Flight planning

  • After applying mag fit, Rerun the full lap

Flight test card requirements/objectives Performance

  • EKF failure during auto mission flight(abort the mission)

Control performance & payload situation

  • Reduce the NAV speed limit: 10m/s

  • Gemini is working

Identified issue

  • YAW twitch issue still being observed

  • VTX with lots of noise

Issue need to be RCA

  • NO full lap in WRESTRC → no VLOS

 

image-20240406-183148.png
full lap distance

 

Card 3

Flight planning

  • Comp test 2

Flight test card requirements/objectives Performance

  • Run the spline waypoint

Control performance & payload situation

  • Went well

  • NAV speedL 10m/s

Identified issue

  • N/A

Issue need to be RCA

  • N/A

Card 4

Flight planning

  • @Nathan Green Try flying with pegasus and getting familiar with it

Flight test card requirements/objectives Performance

  • @Nathan Green Try flying with pegasus and getting familiar with it

Control performance & payload situation

  • High wind

  • Loiter

  • Control good

Identified issue

  • OSD disappeared

Issue need to be RCA

  • Downward facing camera is broken

  • switch to downward facing camera will switch to front camera(suspect pwm range issue)

  • Tons of noise in VTX

 

Test 5: long distance testing

Flight planning

  • To fly as long distance as possible

Flight test card requirements/objectives Performance

  • The drone flied around 3 laps at windy condition

  • 12000 mah

Control performance & payload situation

  • Have the payload installed(jacket)

  • Average current draw

    • into the wind(40A)

    • with the wind (25A)

    • Max current at turning (70 A)

  • Flight time: around 20 min

  • GPS flight speed: 10 - 20 m/s depending on direction to travel

Identified issue

  • LTE failure (5 sec) → suspect tower change [no follow up]

  • HIGH EKF and High Vibe Need investigation

Issue need to be RCA

  • OSD is being interfered(using external buck to power not using the PDB and don’t cross wire through ESC)

  • 2 Capacitor are disappeared during flight(suspect vibe)

 

image-20240406-181932.png
Distance from home: the number of laps done

 

image-20240406-182140.png
Current draw during the endurance flight test

 

image-20240406-182516.png
High current matches high vibe issue still exist

 

pac1.jpg
Capacitor Damaged (Angle 1)

 

pac 2.jpg
Capacitor Damaged (Angle 2)

(The following section will only emphasize the important item from the flight test)

Overall performance and Lessons learned

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