air dropped communication relay system for unmanned vehicles 04/24/07 senior design may07-05

Air Dropped Communication Relay System for Unmanned

Vehicles

04/24/07

SENIOR DESIGNMAY07-05

2May07-05 Air Dropped Communications Relay System 2

Team Information

Client:Mr. Todd Colten Lockheed Martin

Advisor:Dr. Ahmed Kamal Professor, ISU

Team:

John ChargoCprE

Andrew HanrathEE

Jonathan HobackEE

Matthew ProssEE


Presentation Outline

• Introduction– Problem Statement

– Environment, users, and uses

– Functional requirements

• Project Activity– Design approach

– Implementation activities

– Testing activities

• Resources and Schedules• Closing

– Additional Work

– Lessons Learned

– Risk Management


Project Overview

RN RN RN


Definitions

• UAV – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle• IEEE 802.11 – specification for wireless LAN• QoS – Quality of Service• KTAS – Knots true airspeed


Acknowledgements

• Lockheed Martin

• Dr. Ahmed Kamal

• Ubiquiti

• Genuine Innovations

• Professor Patterson

• Leland Harker


Problem Statement

“Develop a system of self-contained communications nodes that can be air-dropped from a UAV at an altitude of 500ft. The nodes will then provide ‘network-centric’ IEEE 802.11 communications between ground and aerial vehicles separated by a large geographic area”


General Solution Approach

RN RN RN

9

Operating Environment

• Terrain– Plains– Tundra– Desert– Forest– Marsh

• Conditions– Open battlefield– Natural disaster area– Possible moisture– -20°C to 50°C


End Users and Uses

11May07-05 Air Dropped Communications Relay System for UAVs 11

Assumptions and Limitations

Assumptions• Ground and air vehicles are

802.11 compliant• Deployable from UAV traveling

at 55ktas (63mph)• UAV payload bay is

24”x12”x12”, holds 50 lbs• Nodes will drop from 500 feet• Multiple UAVs can be used for

deployment• Nodes are not reusable

Limitations• Battery life limits operating

time• Only authenticated devices

can use the system• Nodes must cost less than

$500• Nodes must be as compact as

possible• System must be compatible

with IEEE 802.11 devices


End-product and Deliverables

End-Product• Fully functional relay

nodes (2)

Deliverables• Project plan• Design document• Poster• Testing results• Final report• Project presentations (3)


Present Accomplishments

• Parachute system

• Antenna mast system

• Routing software

• Sequencing software

• Power supply

• Enclosure

14

Approaches Considered

• Enclosure• Landing System• Antenna Support Structure• Radio• Antenna• Processing Platform• Software• Power Supply

15

Project Definition Activities

• Examined problem statement

• Communicated with client

• Established assumptions/limitations

16

Research Activities

• Technical journals and publications– Current routing protocols– Embedded systems– Antenna/radio technology

• Company-based web search

17

Design Activities

• Examined overall system• Defined subsystems• Designed subsystems

– Link distance– Parachute drag calculations– Power consumption– Sensitivity analysis

• Designed subsystem interaction– Block diagram– Layout


Node Design

Embedded SBC

RadiominiPCI

Relay Antenna

Softw

are

Routing

QoS

Encryption

Power SupplyPWM

Timer Parachute

Aerial Antenna

Battery

Mast


Node Lifecycle

Four main stages in each node’s life:

Node Deployed Node Activates Node active

< 1 minute <15 seconds

Node Self-destructs

approx 6 hours


Enclosure

• High-impact lexan– Will not interfere with

RF communications– Will withstand the drop– Inexpensive to

produce


Parachute

•Type: Semi-hemispherical

•Material: Ripstop Nylon

•Size: 1.70 m diameter

•3.5 m/s impact velocity

•Shoud lines: 2.55 m

•Deployment: SBC triggered nichrome coils with drone chutes


Antenna Support Structure

• Raised antenna– 42 inches– Maximize link distance– Signal strength

•Inflatable– Tubular sleeve design

• Ripstop nylon• Inner tubes

– CO2 cartridges


Radio/Antenna

• Ubiquiti SuperRange 2 MiniPCI radio

• Tx: 400 mW

• IEEE 802.11e

• 5dBi 8.4” Dipole Antenna


Processing Platform

Soekris Engineeringnet 4526 single board computer

•MiniPCI slots (x2)•133MHz CPU•64 MB SDRAM•64 MB CompactFlash•Small form-factor


Operating System

Pyramid Linux

•Designed for wireless networking applications

•Support for the Soekris 4526 SBC and Atheros

•Total size: < 64 MB

http://pyramid.metrix.net/


Power Supply

• Ultralife® UBBL04 Lithium Ion batteries (2)– Rechargeable– 7.2 Volts nominal

• National Semiconductor LM3478 controller (1)– High efficiency– Suitable for boost topology


Power Supply

• Schematic design/simulation– National Semiconductor WEBENCH® Tools


Power Supply

• PCB Layout– ExpressPCBTM


Network Components

• AODV-based Routing

FN10.1.0.1

RN10.0.0.1

RN10.0.0.2

RN10.0.0.3

FN10.1.0.2

1 RREQ [Dest: 10.1.0.2]

2 RREQ 3 RREQ

4 RREQ

5 RREP

6 RREP7 RREP

8 RREP

Routing TableDestination Next Hop

0 Null Null8 10.1.0.2 10.0.0.1


0 Null Null


0 Null Null


0 Null Null


0 Null Null

1 10.1.0.1 0.0.0.07 10.1.0.2 10.0.0.2

2 10.1.0.1 10.0.0.16 10.1.0.2 10.0.0.3

3 10.1.0.1 10.0.0.25 10.1.0.2 0.0.0.0

4 10.1.0.1 10.0.0.3


Network Components

• Quality of Service (QoS)– IEEE 802.11e– Provides priority to UAVs

• Encryption– 128-bit WEP


Overall System

300m between nodes/100km = 334 nodes in system

Each node: 10”x10”x4”, 6lbs = 6 nodes per UAV

= 56 UAVs to deploy 100km system

Cost per Node: $515

$515/node * 334nodes = $172,010

$1,720/km of coverage


Implementations Activities

• Parachutes– Main chutes (2)– Drone chutes (2)



• Inflatable Mast– Sleeves sewn (4)– End-caps devised (2)



• Software– Sequencing– General I/O interface

General Purpose IO

Pins

Ubiquiti SuperRange2

Radio

General Purpose IO

Pins

Ubiquiti SuperRange2

RadioRouting System

Deployment Control Process

Parachute Control Process

Antenna Mast Control Process

Node Software

Input Interfaces Output Interfaces



• Power Supply PCB– ExpressPCBTM

– Completed soldering of surface mount components



• Enclosure


Testing Activities

• Tx power test– Actual power

requirements

• Parachute drop test– 2.08 m/s

• Routing tests– Multi-hop route

• Link distance test– 532 m

I-V Curve for Soekris SBC

y = -15.375x + 554.6

R2 = 0.773

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

13.0 18.0 23.0

voltage (V)

cu

rren

t (m

A)


Resource Requirements


Schedules

Project Schedule

Deliverable Schedule

ID Task Name Duration Start Finish

1 Project Definition 21 days? Mon 8/28/06 Fri 9/22/06

5 Technology Considerations 44.5 days? Sat 9/9/06 Thu 11/9/06

10 End-Product Design 41 days Tue 10/17/06 Tue 12/12/06

14 End-Product Prototype Implementation 45 days Mon 1/8/07 Fri 3/9/07

16 End-Product Testing 100 days? Mon 11/13/06 Fri 3/30/07

21 End-Product Documentation 65 days? Mon 1/8/07 Fri 4/6/07

23 End-Product Demonstration 20 days Mon 4/2/07 Fri 4/27/07

28 Project Reporting 179 days? Mon 8/28/06 Wed 5/2/07

20 27 3 10 17 24 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 6Aug '06 Sep '06 Oct '06 Nov '06 Dec '06 Jan '07 Feb '07 Mar '07 Apr '07 May '07

ID Task Name Duration Start Finish

1 Fall 2006 Semester 72 days? Mon 9/4/06 Tue 12/12/06

2 Update Website 12 days? Mon 9/4/06 Tue 9/19/06

3 Unbounded Project Plan 15 days? Mon 9/4/06 Fri 9/22/06

4 Bounded Project Plan 12 days? Mon 9/25/06 Tue 10/10/06

5 Revew Project Plan with Client 4 days? Tue 10/10/06 Fri 10/13/06

6 Unbound Design Report 20 days? Mon 10/16/06 Fri 11/10/06

7 Review Design Report with Client 5 days? Mon 12/4/06 Fri 12/8/06

8 Bounded Design Report 22 days? Mon 11/13/06 Tue 12/12/06

9 Spring 2007 Semester 78 days? Mon 1/15/07 Wed 5/2/07

10 Update Website 17 days? Mon 1/15/07 Tue 2/6/07

11 Poster Due 32 days? Mon 1/15/07 Tue 2/27/07

12 Unbound Final Report 23 days? Wed 2/28/07 Fri 3/30/07

18 Review Final Report 5 days? Mon 4/23/07 Fri 4/27/07

19 Bound Final Report 23 days? Mon 4/2/07 Wed 5/2/07

20 27 3 10 17 24 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 6Aug '06 Sep '06 Oct '06 Nov '06 Dec '06 Jan '07 Feb '07 Mar '07 Apr '07 May '07


Project Evaluation

Milestone Rating Score Importance ProductProblem Definition Met 100% 15% 15.00%Research Exceeded 100% 12% 12.00%Technology Selection Met 100% 10% 10.00%End-product Design Met 100% 12% 12.00%Prototype Implementation Mostly Met 90% 5% 4.50%End-product Testing Partially Met 80% 14% 11.20%End-project Documentation Met 100% 9% 9.00%End-product Demonstration Partially Met 50% 15% 7.50%Project Reporting Met 100% 8% 8.00%

Total 100% 89%


Commercialization

• Prototype

• Possible future applications


Recommendations for additional work

• UAV deployment mechanism

• Node 2.0 concept– Rotational directional antennas– Dual-radio for multi-channel links– Servo-controlled parafoil– GPS guided auto-positioning– Wireless sensor network


Lessons Learned

• Project documentation– Better efficiency and accuracy

• Schedule planning– Resources– Timeline

• Design verification– Important step for success

• Expanding technical horizons– Get help/advice when needed

44

Technical Lessons Learned

• Power Supply Design

• Parachute Design

• Pneumatic system design

• Ad-hoc routing protocols

• Embedded Linux

• Cross-compiling

• System Integration


Risk Management

• Potential Risks– Loss of team member– Loss of an advisor– Time of completion– Budget

• Risks Encountered– Budget restraints

• Unanticipated risks– Laptop hard drive

failure– Hardware failure

• Resultant changes– Backup of all source

code


Closing Summary

“Development of an IEEE 802.11 wireless network that can increase situational awareness to military personnel, supply data to environmental researchers, or aid emergency responders in their effort to save lives.”

47

Demonstration


Questions

• Questions?

air dropped communication relay system for unmanned vehicles 04/24/07 senior design may07-05

Documents

communication relay

air vehicles

end users

aerial vehicles

aerial vehicleieee

feetmultiple uavs

ahmed kamal professor

networkcentric ieee