• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.342-351
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• 2012

Purpose: Aerial spraying with an agricultural unmanned helicopter became a new paradigm in the agricultural practice. Laterally tilting behavior of a conventional agricultural helicopter, resulting in the biased down-wash and uneven spray deposit is a physically intrinsic phenomenon while hovering and cruise flights. Authors studied and developed a roll-balanced agricultural helicopter with a raised pylon tail rotor system. In this study, the attitude of the roll-balanced helicopter was determined using the Kalman filter algorithm, and the quality of roll balancing of a bare-airframe helicopter was evaluated. Methods: Instantaneous attitudes were estimated using the advantage of gyroscope, followed by the long term correction and prediction using accelerometer data for the advantage of convergence. The attitudes of the fuselage were calculated by applying the Kalman filter algorithm. The spraying maneuver of the helicopter was performed at a field of 50 m long, and the attitude data were acquired and evaluated. Results: The determination of attitude using the inertial measurement unit(IMU) and Kalman filter was reliable and practical. The intrinsic attitude of the developed helicopter was stable and roll-balanced. The deviation of roll angle was ${\pm}6.3^{\circ}$ with an average of $0^{\circ}$, referring to roll-balanced. Conclusions: Handling quality of the roll attitude determined to be steadily balanced. The balancing behavior of the developed helicopter would result in an even spray pattern during aerial application.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.611-619
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• 2016

This paper proposes a collision prevention system for an agricultural unmanned helicopter. The collision prevention system consists of an obstacle detection system, a mapping algorithm, and a collision avoidance algorithm. The obstacle detection system based on a LiDAR sensor is implemented in the unmanned helicopter and acquires distance information of obstacles in real-time. Then, an obstacle mapping is carried out by combining the distance to the obstacles with attitude/location data of the unmanned helicopter. In order to prevent a collision, alert is activated to an operator based on the map when the vehicle approaches to the obstacles. Moreover, the developed collision prevention system is verified through flight test simulating a flight pattern aerial spraying.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2010

A small unmanned helicopter was suggested to replace the conventional spray system. Aerial application using an agricultural helicopter helps precise and timely spraying, and reduces labor intensity and environmental pollution. In this research, a rotor system (SW05) was developed and its lift capability was evaluated. Lift force for the dead weight of the helicopter was obtained at the grip pitch angle of $12^{\circ}$. As the pitch angle increased to $14^{\circ}$ and $16^{\circ}$, the payload increased to 176 N and 216 N, respectively. Compared with SW04 airfoil performance in the total lift, the SW05 airfoil showed nearly the same capacity, but the payload of the SW05 was reduced because of the increased dead weight. A rated flight condition was defined as lifting mean payload of 294 N with the grip pitch angles of $16{\sim}17^{\circ}$ at the rotor rotating speed of 850~950 rpm for the adjusted engine power. The fuel consumption would be 4.8~6.0 L/hr, and the air temperature of cooling fan should be kept below $160^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2012

Purpose: The most important element of an agricultural helicopter is the rotor blade realizing lift force. In order to improve the performance of the rotor blades, two types (KA152313 and KB203611) of airfoils were designed and compared. Methods: The nose shape of the KB203611 airfoil was 'drooped' and 'sharp' compared to the leading edge of the KA152313 airfoil. The performance of the experimental airfoils was simulated using CFD-ACE program, and lifts were measured in situ using the 'AgroHeli-4G', a prototype helicopter. Results: Simulated lifts of the blade with the KA152313 airfoil showed proper values for a wide range of angles of attack between $14^{\circ}{\sim}18^{\circ}$, while the simulated lift of the KB203611 blade exhibited maximum values near $13^{\circ}{\sim}14^{\circ}$. In the lift measurements, the range of operable angles of attack was a collective pitch angle at the grip (GP) of $12^{\circ}{\sim}18^{\circ}$ for the KA152313 blade. On the other hand, the range of angles of attack for the KB203611 blade was a GP of $12^{\circ}{\sim}14^{\circ}$. Conclusions: The blade of KA152313 performed well over a wide range of AoAs and the blade of KB203611 performed better at low AoAs. In this study, a variative airfoil blade, gradually emerging from grip to tip using the two different airfoils, was suggested.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.159-163
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• 2014

Agricultural unmanned helicopters have become a new paradigm for aerial application. Yet, such agricultural helicopters require easy and affordable attitude control systems. Therefore, this study presents an affordable attitude measurement system using a DCM (direction cosine matrix) algorithm that would be applied to agricultural unmanned helicopters. An IMU using a low-cost MEMS and an algorithm to estimate the attitude of the helicopter were applied in a gimbals structure to evaluate the accuracy of the attitude measurements. The estimation errors in the attitude were determined in comparison with the true angles determined by absolute position encoders. The DCM algorithm and sensors showed an accuracy of about 1.1% for the roll and pitch angle estimation. However, the accuracy of the yaw angle estimation at 3.7% was relatively larger. Such errors may be due to the magnetic field of the stepping motor and encoder system. Notwithstanding, since the intrinsic behavior of the agricultural helicopter remains steady, the determination of attitude would be reliable and practical.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.476-483
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• 2011

The aerial application using an unmanned helicopter has been already utilized and an attitude controller would be developed to enhance the operational convenience and safety of the operator. For a preliminary study of designing flight controller, a state space model for an RC helicopter would be identified. Frequency sweep flight tests were performed and time history data were acquired in the previous study. In this study, frequency response of the flight test data of a small unmanned helicopter was analyzed by using the CIFER software. The time history flight data consisted of three replications each for collective pitch, aileron, elevator and rudder sweep inputs. A total of 36 frequency responses were obtained for the four control stick inputs and nine outputs including linear velocities and accelerations and angular velocities in 3-axis. The results showed coherence values higher than 0.6 for every primary control inputs and corresponding on-axis outputs for the frequency range from 0.07 to 4 Hz. Also the analysis of conditioned frequency response showed its effectiveness in evaluating cross coupling effects. Based on the results, the dynamic characteristics of the model helicopter can further be analyzed in terms of transfer functions and the undamped natural frequency and damping ratio of each critical mode.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.79-84
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• 2014

The precision aerial application of agricultural unmanned helicopters has become a new paradigm for small farms with orchards, paddy, and upland fields. The needs of agricultural applications require easy and affordable control systems. Recent developments of MEMS technology based on inertial sensors and high speed DSP have enabled the fabrication of low-cost attitude system. Therefore, this study evaluates inertial MEMS sensors for estimating the attitude of an agricultural unmanned helicopter. The accuracies and errors of gyro and acceleration sensors were verified using a pendulum system. The true motion values were calculated using a theoretical estimation and absolute encoder measurement of the pendulum, and then the sensor output was compared with reference values. When comparing the sensor measurements and true values, the errors were determined to be 4.32~5.72%, 3.53~6.74%, and 3.91~4.16% for the gyro rate and x-, z- accelerations, respectively. Thus, the measurement results confirmed that the inertial sensors are effective for establishing an attitude and heading reference system (AHRES). The sensors would be constructed in gimbals for the estimating and proving attitude measurements in the following paper.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.192-200
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• 2012

Purpose: Aerial application of chemicals with an agricultural helicopter allows for precise and timely spraying and reduces working labor and pollution. An attitude controller for an agricultural helicopter would be helpful to aerial application operator. The objectives of this paper are to determine the transfer function models and to estimate the handling qualities of a bare-airframe model helicopter. Methods: Transfer functions of a model unmanned helicopter were estimated by using NAVFIT and DERIVID modules of the $CIFER^{(R)}$ program to the time history data of frequency sweep flight tests. Control inputs of the transfer functions were elevator, aileron, rudder and collective pitch stick positions and the outputs were resulting on-axis movements of the fuselage. Results: Minimum realization of the transfer functions for pitch rate output to elevator control input and roll rate output to aileron control input produced second order transfer functions with undamped natural frequencies around 3.0 Hz and damping ratios of 0.139 and 0.530, respectively. The equivalent time delays of the transfer functions ranged from 0.16 to 0.44 second. Sensitivity analysis of the proposed parameters allowed derivation of minimal realization of the transfer functions. Conclusions: Handling quality of the model helicopter was addressed based on the eigenvalues of the transfer functions, corresponding undamped natural frequencies with damping ratios. The equivalent time delays of the lateral-directional motion ranged from 0.16 to 0.44 second, longer than the 0.1 to 0.15 second requirement for well-controlled typical manned aerial vehicles.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.230-236
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• 2007

In this study, a tail rotor system for an agricultural RF controlled helicopter was developed and tested. This study concluded the mechanical development of the 'Agro-heli' by completing the tail rotor system and its radio console. The RF control system was closely related with the tail system for the control of flying attitude. The thrust of the tail system balance off the reaction torque, created by the main rotor. Lifting tests with and without the tail system were compared for estimating the consumption of power. The tail system would use $4{\sim}5%$ of the total power which was in an acceptable range. Flying performance and attitude was visually inspected. It showed reliable and safe control during the distance flying trials and could be adapted for utilization in aerial applications. Aerial application using an RF controlled agricultural helicopter may make precise and timely spraying possible.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.43-58
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• 2008

This research was conducted to determine the alternative tool of chemical spray for rice cultivation using the unmanned helicopter(Yamaha, R-Max Type 2G-remote controlled system) at farmer's field in Korea. The unmanned helicopter tested was introduced form Japan. In Korea the application of chemicals by machine sprayer for pest management in rice cultivation has been ordinarily used at the farmer's level. However, it involved a relatively high cost and laborious for the small scale of cultivation per farm household. Farm population has been highly decreased to 7.5% in 2002 and the population is expected to rapidly reduce by 3.5% in 2012. In Japan, pest control depending on unmanned helicopter has been increased by leaps and bounds. This was due in part to the materialization of the low-cost production technology under agricultural policy and demand environmentally friendly farm products. The practicability of the unmanned helicopter in terms of super efficiency and effectiveness has been proven, and the farmers have understood that the unmanned helicopter is indispensable in the future farming system that they visualized. Also, the unmanned helicopter has been applied to rice, wheat, soybean, vegetables, fruit trees, pine trees for spraying chemicals and/or fertilizers in Japan Effect of disease control by unmanned helicopter was partially approved against rice blast and sheath blight. However, the result was not satisfactory due to the weather conditions and cultural practices. The spray density was also determined in this experiment at 0, 15, 30, and 60cm height from the paddy soil surface and there was 968 spots at 0cm, 1,560 spots at 15cm, 1,923 spots at 30cm, and 2,999 spots at 60cm height. However, no significant difference was found among the treatments. At the same time, there was no phytotoxicity observed under the chemical stray using this unmanned helicopter, nor the rice plant itself was damaged by the wind during the operation.