2024-05-14 AEAC Sync

Attendance

Mechanical:

  • @Smile Khatri

  • @Alison Thompson

  • @Evan Janakievski

Electrical:

  • @Parker Lawrence-Valeriani

  • @Omar El-Sawy

  • @Jerry Tian

Embedded Flight Software:

  • @Aidan Bowers (Deactivated)

Autonomy:

  • @Mihir Gupta

  • @Tong Zhang

Operations:

  • @Emma Chan

Directors:

  • @Daniel Puratich

  • @Nathan Green

Agenda


Power System

  • Check all XT90 connectors and replace as needed by Saturday,

    • some have cut heatshrink on the edges.

    • replace heatshrink on these if possible

    • should have a solid pulltest on each

    • complete before this weekend, could see it here

    • possibly @Omar El-Sawy with guidance from @Jerry Tian

    • more of a session to get people up to speed on this

  • Pegasus 2

    • ESCs are on it, PDB is on as well

    • motors are in flight test box

    • we have enough spares, could take Houston’s avionics

  • Propellers

    • spares in the flight test box

    • double check count of these before, actual count should exist somewhere

      • @Nathan Green to log what we think we have

Perception

  • Operating tracking antenna and path at same time for task 1

    • hard code lap count 3 on autonomy side and then run the that for comp

    • there’s some ideas, but needs to be ready for this weekend

      • forwarding mavproxy could solve

        • tracking antenna never writes

        • @Mihir Gupta may try looking into this

  • Lap Timing stuff for pathing

    • works on realflight

    • some yaw error is solvable, make comp waypoints look like wrestrc waypoints

    • #auto-path-optimization for discussion here! trc

Video System

Mech

New camera mount

  • The new camera mount has fixed the vibration issues in the video.

  • Downwards camera has been replaced, the green artifact is gone.

Electrical

Caps added, noise issues fixed

  • Caps were added to the OSD and the mux which has fixed our video noise issues.

  • The lines in the video are gone and the OSD no longer flickers, even at full throttle.

  • Very nice landing last flight test twice from Nathan!

LTE

LTE for camera?

  • very real chance we lose camera feed at comp

  • test at competition

Avionics

  • Upload new Magfit params generated last weekend to the drone before Saturday the 18th.

    • First time we did full throttle without dropout!

    • No random EKF failures last test with older magfit data

  • Take a full parameter backup after uploading Magfit params.

  • Will we need to make new ones at comp

    • hopefully not, ardupilot can calibrate based on gps location

    • we only did compass calibration twice ever on peggy

Airframe - General

Action items / blockers:

  • Pegasus 2? I don’t think it is in a state where it will be comp ready -Nathan

  • Lighting needs to be installed and working by Saturday or it will not be run at comp. (Mech/EE)

    • Possibly all four boards are functioning, all four ready to mount

    • will need new firmware to make this solve

    • biggest risk is that the boards will get smashed on the motor mounts

    • electrically this is a safe system as far as preventing fault propagation to other electrical systems. switched off in flight normally.

    • could use peggy 2? don’t want to smash the boards from flight vibration

      • we wanted to test this sooner

    • could have an extra piece to support this without the motor mounts

    • could do it so extra mount for these so the extra mount comes off before flight

    • connector situation would be a risk bc onboard

    • lot of risk for style points

    • could we test this weekend?

      • if we take it off now system is untested

      • could do it for pre-comp photos?

        • completely remove it for comp

        • dark photo

        • must go before FT this weekend

        • would be fixed color from FW

        • dont wanna change anything after FT

        • another battery just for this system, make it completely drop in

        • points for judging and photography for presentation

          • photography last year was huge

      • next year we be more ready!!

    • @Parker Lawrence-Valeriani to relay this message to team to make this happen before this weekend!

  • Lighting FW updates

    • 4 boards flashed successfully

    • 4 LEDs (boards 1, 2, 4, 5) were successfully flashed with firmware to cycle through states of lighting up the navigation, beacon, and anti-collision lights. Current firmware sets these colours to a fixed position, lighting them on and off when needed.

    • Encountered issues trying to modify the firmware to keep all LEDs on at all times (to maximize brightness); light pattern seems to break after ~5 seconds of being powered. Currently being tested on board 5.

    • See above stuff for context

  • Repair landing gear

    • this was done by @Smile Khatri

    • if no time at comp we can duct tape landing gear @Alison Thompson just not at FT lol

    • comp is just two landings total, we should have plenty of time here

  • Changes to landing gear

    • make it a bit heavier to reduce the change of breaking on landing

    • switch them all out before this FT if there’s time, @Smile Khatri thinks leave the old slotted current ones on for this FT

    • time vs risk vs reward thing, dont wanna switch after last FT

    • at comp switch out as they break, ones without slits (new ones) should be better

    • balance change is negligible compared to unbalanced electronics

  • Crash Landing?

    • passengers have seatbelts

    • last time people who lost drones for safety completely crumpled their cabins with passengers inside

    • we’ll ask the judges and plan accordingly

    • we wont worry about the legs (especially on task 2)

  • Cabin signage

    • @Evan Janakievski looking into those

    • “At least one clear and visible signage/instructions/placard for accessibility features”

      • wheelchair thing?

    • “At least one non-functional label (company name/logo, badge, etc.)”

      • WARG sticker? registration number? smthing

      • we have some small WARG stickers that could be interesting

      • could hack together sticker paper? @Nathan Green

Tracking Antenna - General

Action items / blockers:

  • Add spacer so that the pitch axis can be used.

  • Implement method in software so that the tracker knows its starting bearing.

  • Remove debug code that requires a serial monitor connection to run antenna tracker.

Updates:

  • Tracking antenna yaw axis was tested and working at the flight test last Sunday.

Mech

Pitch

  • spacer is manufactured @Smile Khatri

  • pitch assembly disassembled

  • need to re-waterjet one of the stands (accidentally bend the part while press fitting, no damage to the bearing) and then press fit the bearings (shop closed before I could re-do).

    • Will be done tomorrow. @Smile Khatri

  • plz grease gears before running @Smile Khatri

Electrical

 

  • no changes?

EFS

North Bearing

The calibration to the magnetometer seems really doable, we could also add tile compensation so the compass will still be correct if the tower is not leveled.

Encountered some soft/hard iron calibration issues today, when trying to rotate the tracking antenna for 360, the calibration progress struggles to go up. This is the only piece that we need to make this work. Roni is trying to figure out why.

  • Tho the mag is really close to work, it is still having about 30 degrees offsite caused by an unknown environmental factor? Will do manual calibration as backup for sure. @Roni Kant

    • In Daniel’s opinion this backup should be the primary.

    • adjust during startup and flight

    • no magnetic compass on tracking ant

      • Aidan and Nathan have real compasses

Autonomy

Pathing

Done

  • Tested on Real Flight simulator today

    • No issues were found in competition takeoff waypoint

    • Found an issue in competition lap waypoints

      • Aidan has a hypothesis for this will work tgther

      • rotation specified in each point could be requiring this.

    • No issues were found in WRESTRC takeoff or lap waypoints

TODO

  • Test on Real Flight simulator with wind on

  • Fix issue with competition lap waypoints

  • Write up documentation for code

    • ensure comp team knows how to use this

Summary of Issues Found

  • Competition lap waypoints

image-20240515-004529.png
image-20240515-004613.png
  • Proposed solution is to get ride of waypoint in the middle of the lap turn

  • WRESTRC waypoints already do this

 

  • WRESTRC waypoints

 

 


General Updates

  • We leave for comp in just over one week.

  • Autonomy lap timing script must be tested in realflight with wind and gusts before Saturday, or it will not be used at comp.

    • mentionned above, on pace, @Mihir Gupta @Aidan Bowers (Deactivated)

  • Need to determine how the antenna tracker and the autonomy timing script can work at the same time, this must be implemented by Saturday or we are going to hard-code a number of laps.

    • pymavproxy @Mihir Gupta @Aidan Bowers (Deactivated) @Tong Zhang

Flight test schedule

  • Saturday May 18th, last flight test before comp.

    • What are we testing this system?

      • task 1 script with tracking antennas

      • task 2 approach

        • practice callouts for comp points

      • More pilot trainning for task 2?

        • Nathan has done it twice, Yuchen hasnt done it at all

        • @Alison Thompson yes, 3d prints are fixable, @Smile Khatri prepping extras

        • @Nathan Green is intended pilot at competition, @Yuchen Lin possibly up to try

        • @Nathan Green try and go slow for a few attempts, then if legs remain hand off to Yuchen for practice.

        • do this last

    • todos

      • video recordings

      • We need to be at this flight test with our final comp configuration. The antenna tracker must be working and finalized by Saturday. If something is not run/not working at this flight test it will be scrapped for comp.

Questions