Simulation Based Development of Micro Air Vehicles: One step further towards a more efficient development

摘要

Due to an exploding number of applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) the development of autopilots is an active field of research. Although various autopilot systems are already commercially available, a recurring problem is the difficult integration of these systems with own projects and own Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs). An adaptation of the filters and control parameters on the used platform is very complex and often only possible by trial and error. For this reason we present in this paper a highly innovative development environment for rapid, efficient and platform independent development or advancement of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL)-MAVs. The development building blocks comprise not only an autopilot, but combine a new software structure with a 3D real-time simulation environment. A low-risk design and development process for MAVs is achieved, in which the real-time simulation system allows the complex design and evaluation of all algorithms - Software in the Loop (SiL). The availability of ground truth data and a realistic flight environment enable the timely detection and elimination of errors and problems in the simulation. This holistic approach allows the easy and unproblematic integration of this autopilot in different projects.