2024-09-18 Comp Arch Sync

  • Attendance

    • @Nathan Green

    • @Daniel Puratich

    • @Ryan Scomazzon

    • @Alison Thompson

    • @Meghan Dang

    • @Smile Khatri

    • @Conall Kingshott

    • @Sohee Yoon

    • @Conall Kingshott

    • @Jerry Tian

    • @Mihir Gupta

    • @Jane Zeng

    • @Balaji Leninrajan

    • @Aaron Wang

    • @Ashish Agrahari

    • @Derek Tang

    • @Georgia Vachon Westerlund

    • @Maxwell Lou

Pegasus 2

  • Assembly

    • Wiring harness is complete for high power system

    • Smaller subsystems not yet wired or mounted (Raspberry Pi, Video)

    • Sensors are mounted (optflow, rangefinder, compass)

    • Assembly is in a state where the drone can be flown on Saturday

  • Mech updates (@Alison Thompson )

    • Improving clamping blocks to have heatsets pulled out less - not critical, will update when these are done as we will have to slightly disassemble to install

    • Working on new PDB case

    • Waterproofing discussion → we have a design for a ~400g polycarb dome, I think this is not worth bc we can transport less water, looking at pursuing latex only when needed waterproofing for top electronics

  • Configuration

    • Parameters are copied from Pegasus 1 completed

    • Failsafes need checking

    • opflow needs calibration

    • Lidar needs setting up

    • Controller may need configuration changes

    • Need to run accel, gyro, compass calibrations before flight (can do this on Saturday)

  • Comms

    • MAVLink over ELRS is working, but has a limited bitrate (~13kbit/s)

    • Future of comms architecture discussion?

Antenna Tracker

  • Updates

  • Mech (@Sohee Yoon / @Alison Thompson )

    • Need to have a discussion abt what changes we want to make here

      • Last term, we updated the base plate (hole placement and inc. length on one side), shortened the spacer rod, and made the antenna holders fit better

      • Currently, working on the antenna angle limiter, and possibly placement of heat set inserts (push in from the inner face), and other updates (?)

    • My (Alison) current thoughts is to get this version working and make a new one with whatever big improvements we want based on that

      • @Sohee Yoon do you know what needs to happen to have this version operational?

    • Improvement ideas:

      • how it mounts to tripod

  • EFS

    • firmware dev is all done by @Roni Kant

    • Looking to delegate the firmware integration test to someone this week

  • EE

    • Parts not here yet, if we cant assemble the Tracking Antenna Controller by this weekend it will be first priority for next.

Ground Station

  • IMACS

    • Monitor mount in progress - aim to finish by end of next week

    • Is all hardware finalized? Can we start manufacturing the bottom plate that holds the switches?

AEAC vs SUAS

  • AEAC is locked in for this comp cycle because of CONOPS release times

AEAC CONOPS

  • Conops is released! https://www.aerialevolution.ca/annual-student-competition/

  • Summary

    • Phase 1 Proposal

      • Competition paper outlining our UAV’s capabilities and our approach; business focused

    • Task 1

      • Detect a fire in the distance (red balloons up to 5m off the ground)

      • Identify hotspots (IR beacons) in the fire area and map their locations

      • Visually identify what started the fire

    • Task 2

      • Transport water from a source tank to the locations of the fire hotspots and deposit

  • Approach Ideas

    • Mech

      • discuss a rough outline for this

      • Will start on designs for comp once we scope out what we want to try - mech design sprint starting tomorrow, ideas presented at work session on Sat, decide general direction

      • Control the amount of water released at once? All water at once? → we’re going with all water at once for now

      • Mech will have ideas doc by next comp sync

      • Max take off weight → 12kg

      • Peggy 2 → 1.375kg no electrical Need to get pump into the barrel

    • Autonomy

      • Task 1

        • New airside system to detect hotspots

        • Fly to balloon manually? then airside detect hotspots?

      • Task 2

        • Only need one autonomous run for points

  • Questions

    • How much of task 1 can we do manually?

      • As it’s worded now, can you get fully autonomy points if the pilot flies the drone manually outside of takeoff and landing?

      • Does “detection” include flying around autonomously searching?