A new robot 'brain', based in part on the workings of the human inner ear, has enabled the production of the world's first small robotic helicopter that can see and think for itself, say Australian researchers.
The 'brain' and helicopter - called "Mantis" - was announced this week by CSIRO Complex Systems Integration.
Autonomous helicopter flight is characterised by helicopters that can fly without a human pilot or guidance from a remote-controlled device. Although many teams worldwide have been working on so-called vertical take-off, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the CSIRO helicopter is the first to fly completely independent of expensive global positioning systems (GPS) guidance. Instead it uses its brain to control its balance and orientation.
"While GPS may seem like an ideal technique to use, it has many drawbacks in practice, particularly in built environments near large structures which can obscure or reflect signals from the GPS satellites," team leader, Dr Peter Corke told ABC Science Online."This is the first UAV to use computerised vision with all its equipment on board," he says. "It can maintain its position without using GPS, which hasn't been done before."
A similar project in the U.S. in the 1990's worked on autonomous UAVs but the vehicle developed was around five times bigger than the "Mantis", says Corke.
The 'brain' weighs only 75 grams(CSIRO)
The 'brain' and helicopter - called "Mantis" - was announced this week by CSIRO Complex Systems Integration.
Autonomous helicopter flight is characterised by helicopters that can fly without a human pilot or guidance from a remote-controlled device. Although many teams worldwide have been working on so-called vertical take-off, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the CSIRO helicopter is the first to fly completely independent of expensive global positioning systems (GPS) guidance. Instead it uses its brain to control its balance and orientation.
"While GPS may seem like an ideal technique to use, it has many drawbacks in practice, particularly in built environments near large structures which can obscure or reflect signals from the GPS satellites," team leader, Dr Peter Corke told ABC Science Online."This is the first UAV to use computerised vision with all its equipment on board," he says. "It can maintain its position without using GPS, which hasn't been done before."
A similar project in the U.S. in the 1990's worked on autonomous UAVs but the vehicle developed was around five times bigger than the "Mantis", says Corke.
The 'brain' weighs only 75 grams(CSIRO)
The 1.5 metre long and 0.5 metre high Mantis uses a combination of sensors that operate as its eyes and brain. The brain, described by Corke as a "big breakthrough in the development of the UAVs", is an inertial sensing system that behaves in a similar fashion to our inner ear.
"The major task in developing Mantis was to produce an inertial sensing system and a computer vision system to control and provide flight stability and to guide the aircraft," said Corke.
The robot's eyes work using two cameras and software that detects where objects are and how fast the Mantis is moving relative to objects around it.
So far world research has focused on the control of UAVs rather than the sensing problem.
Corke says the inertial sensing system used low-cost Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) sensors made from a light-weight magnesium alloy. This is much lighter than the current technology, and makes the brains of the Mantis light enough to be carried by a small helicopter. The Mantis is four to five time lighter than other UAVs.
The Mantis will also cost less than UAV currently being developed for military uses, says CSIRO's Ken Anderson.
Corke says that new sensing equipment developed for the Mantis opens up a large number of applications for rescue and surveillance work. This could include fleets of helicopters inspecting sites as part of bushfire-prevention strategies, or searching the ocean to speed up sea-rescue efforts. Single helicopters could also be sent into high-risk areas where infrastructure damage poses a threat to humans.
Other applications include traffic monitoring, security and military applications, and inspecting and reporting on faults in high-rise building facades or even underneath bridges.
"Mantis makes it possible for fleets of small drone helicopters to do jobs now done by conventional aircraft," says Corke.
Australian civil aviation has welcomed Mantis to the skies by passing the world's first regulation to allow the flight of appropriately equipped and certified UAV's
"The major task in developing Mantis was to produce an inertial sensing system and a computer vision system to control and provide flight stability and to guide the aircraft," said Corke.
The robot's eyes work using two cameras and software that detects where objects are and how fast the Mantis is moving relative to objects around it.
So far world research has focused on the control of UAVs rather than the sensing problem.
Corke says the inertial sensing system used low-cost Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) sensors made from a light-weight magnesium alloy. This is much lighter than the current technology, and makes the brains of the Mantis light enough to be carried by a small helicopter. The Mantis is four to five time lighter than other UAVs.
The Mantis will also cost less than UAV currently being developed for military uses, says CSIRO's Ken Anderson.
Corke says that new sensing equipment developed for the Mantis opens up a large number of applications for rescue and surveillance work. This could include fleets of helicopters inspecting sites as part of bushfire-prevention strategies, or searching the ocean to speed up sea-rescue efforts. Single helicopters could also be sent into high-risk areas where infrastructure damage poses a threat to humans.
Other applications include traffic monitoring, security and military applications, and inspecting and reporting on faults in high-rise building facades or even underneath bridges.
"Mantis makes it possible for fleets of small drone helicopters to do jobs now done by conventional aircraft," says Corke.
Australian civil aviation has welcomed Mantis to the skies by passing the world's first regulation to allow the flight of appropriately equipped and certified UAV's
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