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August 20, 1996
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GST has developed a small unmanned helicopter with a fully automatic control system. The helicopter, known as the Model 300, features a six foot diameter main rotor, and weighs under 17 pounds empty in a minimum flight configuration. At the recommended maximum gross take-off weight of 37 pounds, it is capable of a full range of flight at standard conditions, including an impressive vertical climb rate. The twenty pounds of available payload is typically consumed with avionics, batteries, fuel, a mission equipment package, and the substructure required to mount all equipment. A current configuration outfitted with both a fully automatic flight control system and a gimbaled video camera with microwave transmitter is capable of 3/4 of an hour flight duration.
The Model 300 and R1 are also being employed by GST to develop and demonstrate an advanced full-authority nonlinear flight control system for another U.S. Army unmanned helicopter, known as the Free Flight Rotorcraft Research Vehicle (FFRRV). This control system technology, for which GST has a patent pending, is based on an innovative combination of feedback linearization and artificial neural networks. The developed algorithms allow transfer of a high performance control system design from one flight vehicle configuration to another without redesign. Using traditional methods, a complete system redesign is required for similar transfer. Instead, the subject technology provides adaptation in real time to the configuration changes.
An initial evaluation and demonstration for feasibility of using a small, unmanned helicopter as an aerial platform from which to conduct remote sensing tasks was conducted by GST at the Savanna River Site (SRS) during June, 1995. The effort was operated under contract by GST with the cooperation and support of several sponsors at SRS using a GST Model 300 outfitted with the R-1 Avionics Package. A full range of sensors was flown by the system, including a 2-channel infrared thermometer, a radiation survey instrument, a magnetometer, and a color video camera. Data from these sensors was telemetered to a ground station for real-time evaluation and archiving, along with full helicopter state data (pitch, roll, yaw, all rates, altitude above ground, latitude and longitude).
The technology for low cost fully automatic UAV research is here today, call to arrange for a flight demonstration for your advanced research project.