• 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.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2006

This paper presents a new point navigation guidance law which is useful for unmanned helicopters. Predicting the future position, the guidance law generates velocity and heading commands, which are used as input to autopilot. This method differs from conventional guidance law in that it reorients the direction of flight velocity vector directly, not by bank angle indirectly. For flight tests, we have developed a flight control system for a R/C helicopters. The system consists of a flight control computer, navigation sensors, and a ground station The results of the test show that the proposed law guides a unmanned helicopter along a line path within a given area. In the future, we are planning to extend the guidance law to the mission of path following. i.e., waypoint navigation.

• 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.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2013

The precision aerial application of small farms, such as paddy, upland and orchard fields using agricultural unmanned helicopters became a new paradigm. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a GPS module and algorithm, controlling drift of agricultural helicopter by the crosswind and maintaining the position for emergency landing. Purpose of the drift control, of which an algorithm works while hovering is related with the emergency sequence that coping with abnormal conditions of rotorcraft system. However, the inertial attitude control cannot detect a drifting motion of fuselage moving at the constant velocity, thus the crosswind takes the helicopter away from the landing position. Performance of the drift control module, based on the GPS that a hovering position did not deviate within 5m in diameter, were tested and evaluated. Initially, the reaction against a disturbing gust wind was sensitive, soon the helicopter maintained its locking position and azimuth within 5m in diameter. It was, however, difficult for the helicopter to recognize the swaying and nodding, the some deviation was expected due to the discrepancy characteristics of the GPS signal. The performance of the drift control proved the effectiveness of the module to maintain the position against an unintended drift during the emergency landing or hovering.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.127-131
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• 2010

Carbon-epoxy prepreg has been introduced in the forming of the upper and lower swash plates that control the pitch of rotor blade of unmanned helicopter because of its lightweight. Taguchi experimental method has been used by introducing the variables such as arrangement angle, laminated number and forming temperature, in order to obtain the proper forming method by using prepreg satisfying the required strength of the swash plate. In the evaluation of structural safety for the swash plates, three kinds of models are considered by using FE-analysis. In comparison of the hot forged products with Al6061-T6 and the formed products with prepreg, it was found that ultimate tensile strength of the products with prepreg is three times higher than that of the Al6061-T6, and the weight reduction of 68.5g can be achieved by using prepreg swash plates.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.72-77
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• 2021

This paper proposes a design and development plan for a control program for the MX-10 EO/IR camera. This camera is a piece of mission equipment mounted on the multi-purpose unmanned helicopter (MPUH) system. Operators must be able to control the necessary functions of the camera to perform their assigned tasks. To achieve this, the function to control the camera was analyzed, and a control program was developed. In addition, the control program was linked to a joystick for convenient operation of the camera by the operator.

• 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.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.436-443
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• 2019

The purpose of this paper is to establish a predictive model by analyzing the influence and correlation of factors affecting the fuel consumption of unmanned helicopters in Captive Flight Test. In this study, a four-factor two-level full factorial experiment was designed and tested using the design of experiments, results were analyzed to derive the main effects and interactions of the factors, and the predictive model was established through regression analysis. It is expected that the results from this study contribute to carrying out Captive Flight Test efficiently and the improvement of the test capability of Electronic Testing Range.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2020

We assessed efficacy of spraying pesticides from an unmanned helicopter to control two insect species, Monochamus alternatus and M. saltuarius, which are vectors of pine wood nematodes. Control efficacy of thiacloprid FL (33×), acetamiprid ME (33×), and flupyradifurone SL (33×) was determined by placing caged insects in the canopy of pine trees (Pinus sp). Water-sensitive paper was used to record the spray pattern of pesticide droplets and the degree of coverage; furthermore, we investigated peripheral scattering due to spraying. The three pesticides showed > 96% control efficacy against the targeted vectors, and pesticide droplet spray patterns were similar. Peripheral scattering was observed up to 20 m in front and 10 m to the left, right, and behind the targeted area. The coverage index of all the directions at 5 and 10 m distance was 6-7 and 2, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.485-491
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• 2010

Acquisition of information on failure slope, which may cause apprehension of second hand damage, requires acquisition of fast and accurate topographical data and efficient expression in indirect surveying method without accessing as needed. Therefore, in this study, the images on the intended area were photographed through hovering in the air by approaching collapsed road cut slope with the use of unmanned helicopter photography system. As a result of comparing the points observed by no prism total station and the 10 coordinate points analyzed through image analysis, the averages of absolute values were shown to be 0.056m in X axis direction, 0.082m in Y axis direction and 0.066m Z axis direction. In addition, the RMSE of the error for 10 points of test points were 0.015636m in X axis direction, 0.021319m in Y axis direction and 0.018734m in Z axis direction. Therefore, this method can determine the range of slope and longitudinal and cross sections of each slope in dangerous area that cannot be approached in relational image matching method for the terrains of such collapsed cut slope.