2025-05-04 Final Competition Simulation

2025-05-04 Final Competition Simulation

Admin Preparation

Requested By

@Evan Janakievski @Manasva Katyal

Goal Summary

Task 1 & Task 2 Simulation

Status?

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

Desired Airframe

Louie, Dallas, Peggy 1

Date(s)

May 4th, 2025

Flight Test Sign Up

  • @Evan Janakievski

  • @Manasva Katyal

  • @Ryan Scomazzon

  • @Alison Thompson

  • @Balaji Leninrajan

  • @Tochi Okoro

  • @Georgia Westerlund

  • @Victoria Gee

  • @Roni Kant

  • @Andrew Chai

  • @Maxwell Lou

Test plan

Flight Card 1

Task 1 Sim

Louie:

  • Pilot: @Manasva Katyal

  • GSO: @Ryan Scomazzon

Dallas:

  • Pilot: @Evan Janakievski

  • GSO: @Alison Thompson

What is being tested?

  • Full Task 1 Simulation w/ 2 drones (detection, coordinate sending via mavlink, groundside KML generation + groundside KML merging)

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

  • 8x 3s batteries

  • All IR beacons

FLIGHT CARD 1 PROCEDURE

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

Knockoff criteria

  1. Setup IR beacons and measure GPS coords. Preflight setup for Louie and Dallas.

Setup for the Task 1 Sim.

Unstable flight, not responding to inputs, or other errors

  1. Ensure both drones' scripts are running.

Setup for the Task 1 Sim.

Script not running.

  1. Take off and reach 15 m or 20 m altitude

Prove the VTX with Pi analog display works

 

  1. Fly in pattern to cover total area

 KML messages over MAVLink works

 

  1. Identify beacons through VTX and ensure location can be captured

Test if there are any false positives for detection

 

  1. Land

Perform KML merging at this point

 

  1. Post Flight Test

Perform error analysis.

 

Flight Card 2

Task 2 Sim

Pilot: @Evan Janakievski

GSO: @Manasva Katyal

Airframe: Peggy 1

What is being tested?

  • Full Task 2 Simulation (AUTO to inload, inload water manually, AUTO to deposit location, offload water manually, etc.)

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

  • 8x 6s Batteries

FLIGHT CARD 3 PROCEDURE

Procedure

Goals / Objectives

Knockoff criteria

  1. Set up one full Home Depot bucket and one empty bucket at least 50 m apart. Note down GPS coordinates.

Set up for Task 2 Sim.

Unstable flight, not responding to inputs, or other errors

  1. Take off and hover over water reservoir to fill tank

 

 

  1. Increase altitude to 15 m and fly to empty bucket

 

 

  1. Decrease altitude to 2-3 m to place tubes in bucket and empty tank

 

 

  1. Repeat filling and emptying process as batteries and time permits

 

 

Necessary Preparation

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

Necessary items:

  • Louie

  • Dallas

  • Peggy 1

  • 8x 3s batteries

  • 8x 6s batteries

  • All IR Beacons

  • Measuring Tape

  • Home Depot Buckets

Mandatory 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

@Evan Janakievski

 

Mechanical

Pilot

@Manasva Katyal

 

EFS

Pilot/GSO

@Ryan Scomazzon

 

Electrical

GSO Training

@Alison Thompson

 

Mechanical

GSO Training


Flightline Team

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

@Evan Janakievski

 

 Pilot

 

@Manasva Katyal

 

Pilot/GSO

 

@Ryan Scomazzon

 

GSO Training

 

@Alison Thompson

 

GSO Training

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-Flight Checklists

  • Software configuration correct

  • UAV ground testing

  • ground acceptance review system under test

  • Book WRESTRC

  • 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

9:45am

FT Briefing

 

10:15 am

Departure from UW

 

10:59am

Task 1 X500

Ari Script

12:30pm

Task 2 Flight 1

Float Unplugged

12:37pm

Task 2 Manasva Throttle Check

 

12:41pm

Task 2 Flight 2

Landed before unloading water

2:00pm

Task 2 Manasva Throttle Check

No tubing

2:06pm

Task 2 Manasva Alt Hold Test

 

2:09pm

Task 2 Evan Alt Hold Test

 

2:17pm

Task 2 Evan Auto Land Test + New Position Control

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


DEBRIEF

Task 1

  • Yet to run the scripts with a working pi config

  • Just one flight

  • Got the camera and full view fixed

  • Rebooted and vtx was acting weird

  • Need to test in the bay after the debrief

  • Create a full backup of the SD card

  • Still don’t know why camera on Dallas doesn’t work

  • Nathan script is being flown at comp

  • Testing Derek’s script once

  • Maybe look into shortening ribbon cable

Task 2

  • Attempted to fly → alt variation

    • Could be gusts of wind

    • Pressure inversions

  • Tubes swing under range finder

  • Next → 1-GPS, 2-baro

  • Auto takoff and landing works

  • Change parameter to slow response to altitude variation

    • Try this if GPS doesn’t work

    • PSC_POSZ_P

    • PSC_VELZ_P

    • PSC_VELZ_I

    • PSC_VELZ_D

    • PSC_VELZ_FF

    • PSC_ACCZ_P

Path Forward

  • Ground test Task 1 stuff today

  • Start taking Peggy 2 apart tomorrow

  • Fly Task 1 tomorrow morning 9am

  • Peggy 1 on standby if we have a window tomorrow afternoon

  • Dallas on standby if we have a window until Tuesday

Task 1 (part 2)

  • Flew Dallas only

  • Bunch of configs changed, not sure which one fixed it

  • Image of SD card will be backed up after debrief

  • Dallas FPV cam does not work → will be debugged tonight or tomorrow

Flights

  1. Nathan manual + Manasva only detects on centre

    1. Worked as intended

    2. Cantering manually is a bit challenging

  2. Ari+ Derek Script

    1. Minimum brightspot radius was too small

    2. Value was 300px

    3. Coordinates seem 1 decimal place more accurate

  3. Full Manasva auto centring code

    1. Used .002 initially (meters per second per px) → very unstable

      1. Immediately switched back from guided to loiter

    2. Tried with 0.0001 → this worked, but a bit unstable

    3. Final value 0.00002 found after a few more runs

      1. Stabilizes pretty quick

  4. Full comp sim → Manasva’s code

    1. 4 beacons replaced

    2. 3 beacons were detected (one faulty, not turning on)

    3. Tried detecting same beacon twice, ground script could handle this

  5. Ari script (modified)

    1. Minimum brightspot radius reduced to 100px

    2. Would detect for periods of time, then not for some time

Path Forward

  • Taking full SD card image tonight, porting over to Louie

  • Full comp sim with Manasva’s code tomorrow morning

  • Testing Ari’s code again tomorrow morning