/
2025-2-23 Autonomy & EFS Flight Test

2025-2-23 Autonomy & EFS Flight Test

Owned by Manasva Katyal
Last updated: 2025-02-23 by Victor Huang
6 min read

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 + Tuning Airframe

Date(s)

Feb 23rd, 2025

Attendees

@Manasva Katyal

@Evan Janakievski

@Rohan Katreddy

@Victor Huang

Test plan

Flight Card 1

Detect target IR test

Pilot: @Manasva Katyal

GSO: @Evan Janakievski

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

EFS tuning airframe AUTOTUNE

Pilot: @Manasva Katyal

GSO: @Evan Janakievski

What is being tested?

  •  Running first PID autotune for the EFS Tuning airframe

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

  • Tuning airframe

  • 2x 3s batteries

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

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

Necessary items:

  • Huston

  • Tuning Airframe

  • 6x 3s batteries

  • IR camera (picamera) with IR bandpass filter

  • 2x IR Beacon

  • Measuring tape

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

 

Flight Test

  • GSO

Manasva Katyal

2896985018

Flight Test

  • Pilot

Flightline Team

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

Name

Phone #

Role

Reason

@Evan Janakievski

 

 

 

@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

9:30 am

Briefing

 

10:00 am

Planned Departure

 

10:30am

Arrival and Setup

 

10:40 am

Huston IR Cam Flights Begin

 

11:50 am

EFS Drone Flights Begin

 

1:10 pm

Pack up and leave WRESTRC

 

1:30 pm

Arrive back in bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEBRIEF

Flight test debrief report

CARD 1: IR Cam (Houston) (@Manasva Katyal pilot, @Evan Janakievski GSO)

Flight #1: 10:42 AM

  • Took off to check overall stability of Huston

  • Took off in Stabilize

  • Checked AltHold and Loiter

  • Landed in Loiter

  • Deemed stable enough to continue to IR cam test

Flight #2 (5 m): 10:50 AM

  • Took off in Loiter

  • Climbed to 5 meter altitude

  • Flew over first beacon

  • Flew 20 meters forward to second beacon

  • Hovered over second beacon for a bit

  • Flew back and landed in Loiter

  • Checked images before proceeding to next flight

log_comp_1740326664_48-20250223-210536.png
detection of beacon #1 at 5m
log_comp_1740326664_84-20250223-210628.png
detection of beacon #2 at 5m

Flight #3 (10m): 11:12 AM

  • Same as previous flight but at 10 meters

log_comp_1740327755_28-20250223-212322.png
detection of beacon #1 at 10m
log_comp_1740327755_40-20250223-212348.png
detection of beacon #2 at 10m

Flight #4 (15 m): 11:27 AM

  • Same as previous flight but at 15 meters

log_comp_1740328487_5-20250223-213458.png
detection of beacon #1 at 15m
log_comp_1740328487_18-20250223-213518.png
detection of beacon #2 at 15m

OVERALL IR CAM TAKEAWAYS:

  • Seems to be better than before

  • We actually are getting detections now!

  • Still some noise in some of images, think its just cause of snow/ice being reflective

    • Should go away once snow melts

    • Regardless, in majority of images it is just the beacon that is detected

 

CARD 2: Tuning Airframe (@Manasva Katyal Pilot, @Evan Janakievski GSO)

  • Flight #1: 11:52 AM

    • Took off in Stabilize to evaluate initial PID tune

    • Deemed stable in flight, only drift was due to wind

    • Switched to AltHold at ~3 meters, held altitude considerably well

    • Landed in AltHold

  • Flight #2: 12:00 PM

    • Took off in Loiter to evaluate initial PID tune

    • Deemed stable in flight, very minor drift

    • Roll and pitch were stable, slightly sluggish

    • Yaw was slightly unstable, but still safe to fly

    • Landed in Loiter

  • Flights 3 & 4: 12:05 PM

    • Before takeoff, AUTOTUNE_AXES was set to have just Pitch

    • Took off in Loiter and climbed to 3m altitude

    • Switched to Autotune mode

    • Saw twitches in the Pitch axis, as well as corresponding messages on the GCS

    • Once complete, landed in Autotune mode and saw SAVED PARAMETERS on the GCS

    • After that did a flight in Loiter to evaluate the of the Pitch axis, and was good

  • Flights 5 & 6: 12:35 PM

    • Before takeoff, AUTOTUNE_AXES was set to have just Roll

    • Took off in Loiter and climbed to 3m altitude

    • Switched to Autotune mode

    • Saw twitches in the Roll axis, as well as corresponding messages on the GCS

    • Once complete, landed in Autotune mode and saw SAVED PARAMETERS on the GCS

    • After that did a flight in Loiter to evaluate the of the Roll axis, and was good

  • Flights 7 & 8: 12:53 PM

    • Before takeoff, AUTOTUNE_AXES was set to have just Yaw

    • Took off in Loiter and climbed to 3m altitude

    • Switched to Autotune mode

    • Saw twitches in the Yaw axis, as well as corresponding messages on the GCS

    • Once complete, landed in Autotune mode and saw SAVED PARAMETERS on the GCS

    • After that did a flight in Loiter to evaluate the of the Yaw axis, and was good

  • Flight 9: 1:04 PM (@Evan Janakievski pilot, @Manasva Katyal GSO)

    • Took off in loiter and climbed to about 4 m

    • Tested roll, pitch, and yaw

      • Noticed it was considerably more stable than Houston flying experience

    • Flew until battery reached 10.8 V with battery sag to gain flight time for this term

    • Landed in loiter

OVERALL TUNING TAKEAWAYS:

  • Pitch and Roll were less sluggish in response compared to before tuning

  • Yaw became a lot more stable and precise

  • Overall a success

Related content