NDLI: Development of an autonomous multi-rotor copter for collecting atmospheric data near the ground

Content Provider	IEEE Xplore Digital Library
Author	Etts, D. Rossi, M. Nzaou, R. Ruijie Zhu Lewin, G.C. de Wekker, S.F.J.
Copyright Year	2015
Description	Author affiliation: Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA (Etts, D.; Rossi, M.; Nzaou, R.; Ruijie Zhu; Lewin, G.C.; de Wekker, S.F.J.)
Abstract	Vertical profiling of atmospheric data for the first several hundred meters above ground level is a powerful mechanism by which environmental scientists conduct research and development. Accurate measurements of atmospheric variables such as wind, temperature, and relative humidity, are essential to the many applications of this type of environmental research. The current methods of taking measurements by free-flying or tethered balloons can be inconsistent and unreliable. Beyond the scientific implications, balloons are also unpractical for large research projects that demand multiple profiles at high spatial and temporal resolution. Free-flying balloons and the attached sensors are often not recovered after use, and they can be costly to replace. Tethered balloons can be reused, but the cost of helium as well as the time and work required to operate make them undesirable for repetitive observation. The purpose of this project is to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can collect atmospheric data for the purpose of generating vertical profiles of the first several hundred meters above the ground. This overall goal for the project includes not only the development of the vehicle itself, but also a data collection system and a mechanism for users to interface with the data both during and after data collection. The system is designed to be pre-programmable and autonomous, providing researchers the precision and control required to generate accurate profiles of the lower atmosphere. It will also be reusable, offering a clear advantage over the traditional balloons, and customizable to fit varying research needs. The system in its current form is a hexacopter built on the open source ArduCopter platform. It is outfitted with an extensive sensor package to measure wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, and pressure. Data are logged directly to an onboard SD card, and additionally transmitted wirelessly to a laptop ground station when the vehicle is in use. When this team took control of the project, much of the hardware was already in place. As such, the team's efforts this past scholastic year were 1) the development of a robust information system that will allow users to both see the data in real-time in a useful format and easily manage and process the data after they are measured, and 2) further stabilization of the copter's flight while hovering at a fixed altitude. In its final form, the copter and its counterpart information system will provide environmental scientists with a powerful tool that will both simplify and augment the process of low-altitude atmospheric research.
Starting Page	120
Ending Page	124
File Size	657130
Page Count	5
File Format	PDF
e-ISBN	9781479918324
DOI	10.1109/SIEDS.2015.7116958
Language	English
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Publisher Date	2015-04-24
Publisher Place	USA
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Rights Holder	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subject Keyword	Atmospheric measurements Temperature measurement Temperature sensors Poles and towers Reliability Current measurement
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

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