Objective:

Development of autonomous rotorcraft -- or rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) -- requires vehicle system identification and the refinement of rotorcraft control software. The challenge is to embed rotorcraft-specific real-time control and vehicle health maintenance within a general planning and execution framework shared with other autonomous vehicle types. This research task will develop an autonomous rotorcraft with an on-board reactive planner and vision-based processing, plus high-level mission planning and on-board decision making. The planner will control mission equipment and effectors as well as the vehicle itself. A simulated scout mission will balance real-time aircraft capabilities with the need for an intelligent planner, and an autonomous landing demonstration will incorporate obstacle avoidance. Later research may include control capability for vehicle clusters.

Applications:

Software development testbed for Mars landers, vertical-lift planetary aerial vehicles, aerobots, aircraft or satellite clusters, and other NASA flight applications.

NASA Benefit:

Autonomous rotorcraft offer an ideal platform for developing and demonstrating automated reasoning software for Mars landers, satellite clusters, aircraft clusters, and other NASA flight applications, in addition to their importance for national security, public service support, personal transport, and other uses. They may also be viable as vertical-lift planetary aerial vehicles. This research task will develop fundamental component technologies and automated reasoning control.

Keywords:

autonomous rotorcraft flight control software, helicopter navigation, health management, IVHM

Prior Technology:

UAVs; manual control of rotorcraft; lack of safe landing capability in rough terrain; crane/cable drops for EDL simulation.

FY04 Milestone:

Apex obstacle avoidance flight; integrated contingency planning.

FY04 Quadchart Slide:

AR_PGM_Whalley_ARP.ppt.

Accomplishments:

RMAX vehicle communication; autonomy executive and health management software integration in simulation; hardware integration; Distributed Open Messaging System (DOMS) released; flight control system; reactive planner running ISR mission; obstacle avoidance path planner; monocular tracker/estimator; stereo passive ranging (offline and in simulation); flight demonstration with Apex sequencing of surveillance targets and waypoints while avoiding virtual obstacles.

Subtasks:

Mixed-Initiative and Autonomous Surveillance (in HCC).

Related Web Pages:

Autonomous Rotorcraft Project.
NASA ISD Press Release.

Contacts:

Matthew S. Whalley (PI), Ames Research Center (Code ARH).
Daniel Christian (Co-I), Ames Research Center (Code TI).
F. Ann Patterson-Hine (Co-I), Ames Research Center (Code TI).
Michael A. Freed (Co-I), Ames Research Center (Code THI).