Project Description: | Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAVs, are becoming more and more available as
technology becomes cheaper. Applications that can be created today were just a thought
ten years ago and now they are becoming a reality. There are many applications that are
being researched and it is through this research we are able to come up with new and
improved applications that saves lives. In 2014, two planes had gone missing with no
luck at finding the wreckage. Lives were lost and families are left wondering “what
happened?”. In the world of truly autonomous vehicles, UAVs should react on their own
through some sort of external stimuli. It is through these external stimuli that the UAVs
react and adjust their goal accordingly. These stimuli can be taken from various sensors
on the craft but also can be given commands by a human.
This paper introduces a prototype system for controlling and getting important
information from an autonomous vehicle. This prototype will include design decisions, a
communication protocol, waypoint system and user interface while utilizing other
software that helps with the control and flow of the system. The goal of this prototype is
to show the ease and the necessity of being able to control truly autonomous vehicles
through any medium with simple commands that can be used a multitude of different
devices, such as a laptop, mobile or even HMDs. This will not only pave the way for
different options of controlling these aircraft but also, and more importantly, be able to
provide a mechanism that could be used in open water scenarios. The idea is to use the
technology in order to help humanity and a system like this can bring hope that not all
tasks are futile. |