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2025-2-15 Autonomy & EFS Flight Test

2025-2-15 Autonomy & EFS Flight Test

Admin Preparation

Requested By

@Manasva Katyal @Maxwell Lou

Goal Summary

test autonomy system, detect target for IR beacons
run autotune for tuning airframe

Status?

DRAFT / SUBMITTED / WAITING FOR SUB-TEAM REVIEW / APPROVED

Desired Airframe

Houston

Date(s)

Feb 15th, 2025

Flight Test Sign Up

  • @Manasva Katyal

  • @Yuchen Lin

  • @Jerry Tian

  • @Tochi Okoro

  • @Rohan Katreddy

  • @Ronak Patel

  • @Larry Pan

  • @Jonathan Zhao

  • @Aditya Bang

Test plan

Flight Card 1

Detect target IR test

Pilot: @Manasva Katyal

GSO: @Yuchen Lin

What is being tested?

  •  Detect target IR validation test and accuracy test

Hardware to be installed, items to bring, batteries, etc (change status to success when installed or plan for installing at flight test is done)

  • Houston Drone

  • 4x 3s batteries

  • IR camera (picamera) with IR bandpass filter

  • 2x IR Beacon

  • Measuring tape

CLUSTER ESTIMATION TEST PROCEDURE (HOUSTON)

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

Knockoff criteria

  1. Setup

Get the script to run (either manually or auto start on bootup)

Script is not running

  1. Place and measure distance from drone power-on location to IR beacons

Know true value of the IR beacon location and home location. Use phone GPS to determine IR beacon locations as a backup.

 

  1. Hover above the IR beacons and fly a few passes at 5, 10, 15m altitude. (we are not doing 20m or above, the accuracy seems too low from previous flight tests)

 

 

Flight Card 2

FLIGHT CARD 2 PROCEDURE

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

Knockoff criteria

  1. Initial ARM/DISARM

Ensure proper telem link to GCS and ability to arm/disarm the drone.

Save current parameter list to a backup file in case pilot wishes to restore these PID gains.

Unable to arm/disarm the drone.

  1. Hover in Stabilize

Test initial PID tune of drone outside in Stabilize mode.

Drone too unstable (unable to takeoff or too high oscillation).

  1. Hover in AltHold

Test initial PID tune of drone in AltHold to ensure it is able to hold an altitude.

Drone too unstable (unable to takeoff or too high oscillation).

  1. Fly in Loiter

Test initial PID tune of drone outside in Loiter mode.

Drone too unstable (unable to takeoff or too high oscillation).

  1. Run Autotune

Takeoff in Stabilize to ~2 meters high.

Engage AltHold mode.

When confident in drone stability, engage Autotune mode.

Use the roll and pitch stick at any time to reposition the copter if it drifts away.

Once tune complete, land, ensuring THIS IS DONE IN AUTOTUNE MODE (or your PID tune will be lost).

Disarm the drone.

Drone too unstable and cannot manually reposition in a manner that is deemed safe by the pilot.

Excessive oscillations from the controlled twitches is observed during Autotune (as per pilot discretion).

  1. Evaluate the Tune

Pilot will takeoff in Stabilize and evaluate the tune of the aircraft.

If satisfied, end there. If not, try increasing the ATC_INPUT_TC parameter to 0.25. This smooths out the pilot’s input. Alternatively try reducing the AUTOTUNE_AGGR parameter (it should always be in the range 0.05 to 0.10) and try again by going back to step 4.

If drone is highly unstable and unable to takeoff, simply reset PID gains from the backup parameter file and retry the tune.

Necessary Preparation

Necessary items:

  • Huston

  • Tuning Airframe

  • 6x 3s batteries

  • IR camera (picamera) with IR bandpass filter

  • 2x IR Beacon

  • Measuring tape

Mandatory Attendees

Name

Phone #

Sub-team

Role

Name

Phone #

Sub-team

Role

Yuchen Lin

6474256385

Flight Test

  • GSO

Manasva Katyal

2896985018

Flight Test

  • Pilot


Flightline Team

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

@Yuchen Lin

 

 

 

@Manasva Katyal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-Flight Checklists

  • Software configuration correct

  • UAV ground testing

  • ground acceptance review system under test

  • 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

    • controller box

      • two controller

      • battery tester

 


  • Debrief

  • clean / store equipment if necessary

Flight Test Timeline

Date/Time

Action

Notes

Date/Time

Action

Notes

10:00 am

Briefing

 

11:00 am

Planned Departure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


DEBRIEF

Flight test debrief report

 

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