Definition of Combined Air/Land Challenge

Guidelines

Prepared By: Penn State EOC


Rev. / Reason / Name / Date / Int.
-- / Original / J.Searle / 09/11/2014
A / Updated Helicopterpayload / J.Searle / 01/14/2015
B / Updated Diagram ofHanging Payload / J.Searle / 03/17/2015
C / Update new logo / P. Ward / 11/01/2016

©2016 The Pennsylvania State University through its Electro-Optics Center, 222 Northpoint Boulevard, Freeport, PA 16229,

724-295-7000

1Introduction...... 1

1.1Purpose...... 1

1.2Scenario...... 1

1.3Definitions...... 1

2Challenge...... 1

2.1Air2

2.1.1Requirements...... 2

2.1.2AirDrop off/pickupZone...... 3

2.1.3KeyDesign Points...... 4

2.2Land...... 5

2.2.1Requirements...... 5

2.2.2Object Definition...... 5

2.2.3Land DropPointDefinition...... 5

2.2.4Operation zone...... 6

2.2.5KeyDesign Points...... 6

2.3CourseLayout...... 7

©2016 The Pennsylvania State University through its Electro-Optics Center, 222 Northpoint Boulevard, Freeport, PA 16229,

724-295-7000

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©2016 The Pennsylvania State University through its Electro-Optics Center, 222 Northpoint Boulevard, Freeport, PA 16229,

724-295-7000

1Introduction

1.1Purpose

Thepurposeofthisdocument is todefinethecombineLand/Aircourseoftheofthe Sea, Air, and Land Challenge.

1.2Scenario

Therearepeopletrappedina city building after anearthquake. Suppliesmust be air lifted indue to thedestructionof the road networkin theaftermath oftheearthquake.Thesurrounding areahasbeendeterminedtostructurallyunsound to send personalinyet.Thetaskis to land in the designatedsafezoneand release theground robottodeliverthesuppliestothetrappedvictims. Afterthe supplies are delivered therobotmustreturntotheairvehicletobereturnedtoasafearea forreloading andrefueling.

1.3Definitions

Tele-Operated (orremotecontrolled) –References atypeof robotthathas anoperatormakingdecisionsabouttheoperation oftherobot.Sensorydatafromtherobotorotherdevice(video,telemetry,etc.)is delivered in near realtimeto therobotoperator,and theoperatormakesdecisionsaboutwhatthe robotis supposedtodo(e.g. turnleft/right,speedup/down,depositapayloadetc.).This isthetype ofoperation usedbyhobbyistsandmayalsobecalled operatorinthe loop.This caneitherbeaccomplished by wirelessofwired communications,although mostapplicationsdictatewirelesscommunication.

Autonomous- Therobothas a sensorpackagethat collectsdata, andbasedoncomputerprocessing,makesdecisionswithout anoperatoron howit isto operateand what it isto do.Thegeneralrulesof anautonomousrobotare:

  • Gain information abouttheenvironment (Rule#1)
  • Workforan extendedperiod withouthuman intervention (Rule#2)
  • Moveeitherallor partof itselfthroughoutitsoperating environmentwithouthumanassistance(Rule#3)
  • Avoid situationsthatareharmfultopeople,property,or itselfunlessthoseare part ofitsdesign specifications(Rule#4)i

2Challenge

Todesignandbuild two vehicles tocooperativelycomplete ataskthatcannotbe successfully

completedbyonlyonevehicle.

AirTeam:

TheAirteamis responsiblefor designingatele-operated orautonomousvehiclethat canperformthefollowingtasks to completetheairportion of thechallenge.

  • Securetheland vehicleinside the payloadbayof theairvehicle
  • Find andNavigatetounload(landing)zone
  • Be ableto determinewhenair vehicle is safelyon theground
  • Release theland vehiclefrompayload bayofairvehicle
  • Be ableto determinewhenit is safeforairvehicletotake off
  • Determine“optimal”lookoutvantagepoint
  • Find deliverpointforfirstobject
  • Find deliverypointforsecond object
  • Find pickup zone
  • Securetheland vehicleinsidepayload bayofairvehicle
  • Be ableto determinewhenit is safetoreturn home.(egress)
Land team:

TheLandteamisresponsible fordesigning atele-operatedor autonomousgroundvehiclethatcan perform the followingtaskstocompletethelandportionofthechallenge

  • Be securedinsidethe payload bayof thedeliveryvehicle
  • Be ableto unload itself fromthepayload bay oftheairvehicle(egress)
  • Navigateterrain fromunload zonetofirstdeliverzone
  • Find deliverpointforfirstobjectand unload thisobject.
  • Findand securesecond objectfordelivery
  • Navigateterrain fromfirst deliveryzonetosecond deliverzone
  • Find deliverypointforsecond objectandunloadthisobject
  • Findand navigatetorendezvouspoint
  • Reload itselfinto the payload bayof the airvehicle(access)

Theteamwillbeunabletoseethecourseduringtherun. Thecoursewillalsobechangedbetweenteams,sothatknowledge ofonecourseis noadvantage.

2.1Air

2.1.1Requirements

Toreceivemaximumscoreon theair coursethe vehiclemustcomplete thefollowing

  • Mustsecure land vehicle
  • Mustnavigatecoursebyverbalcommandstopilot
  • Successfullydetectwhen delivery vehiclehas“landed”
  • Mustdetectwhenlookoutheightof 50’hasbeenreached
  • Payloadmustweigh lessthan 11lbs including land vehicle and providedcarrier.
  • Payloadmustconformtoeither thehanging or hardmounting specifications

2.1.2AirDropoff/pickupZone

Dropoff pick-up(landing)zones will havethe followingidentification

  • Will bemarkedbya rectangle
  • Eachzonewillhave a uniquehigh visibilitycolor
  • Eachzonewillhave a uniquenumberidentifier

Note: Teamscanadduniquemarking types if desiredBUTmustbeapprovedby challengecoordinator

2.1.3Carrier

Therecan betwodifferentcarriertypesused inthecombinedchallenge. Each ofthesecarrierswill beinspected bythepilotforstrengthand balance.

2.1.4HangingCarrier

Thehanging carrierwill besuspendedunder thehelicopter.Team will build their owncarrierfrommaterialoftheirchoice.Thefollowingarerequirementsforthecarrier.

  • Thematerialused to suspend thecarriermustnotexceed ½”
  • The carriermustnotexceed 20”x20”x15”(LxWxH)
  • Thecombinedpayload weightmustnotexceed11lbs
  • Carriermustbalancewhenheld fromsuspensionmaterial.

2.1.5AttachedCarrier

Theattachedcarried willbemountedto thegearof thehelicopterand functionas thegearofthe helicopter. Thestrength ofthiscarrier iscritical because failurewould havecatastrophicconsequencesto the airvehicle andendangerbystanders. Carrierwillbeattachedbypilotandpilot willprovidematerial forattaching payload tohelicopter.

  • The carriermustbebuild out of ¾”pvcorequivalentmaterial
  • The carriermustnotexceed 20”x15”x15”(LxWxH)
  • Thecarriermustconformwiththemounting locationprovided inFigure1.
  • Thecombinedpayload weightmustnotexceed11lbs
  • Thecarriermustpassa strengthtestfromthepilotbeforetestand challengeday.

Figure1Attachedcarriermountingdimensions

2.1.6KeyDesignPoints

Thefollowingbulletsaresome keydesign pointsthatwill beinstrumentaltothe successofyourvehicle.

  • Have afieldof regardof 360degrees
  • Able to indicatewhendeliveryvehicle ison ground
  • Able to securelandvehicleinside air payload bay
  • Able to detecthigh aboveground
  • Able to detectwhenlandvehicle isclearof airpayload bay
  • Able to detect when landvehicle is loadedonthe air payload bay
  • Identificationof land/pickup zone(s)
  • Identificationof land deliverzone(s)
  • Able to fitin payloadcarrier with ground vehicle
  • Able to meetcombinedpayloadweight

2.2Land

2.2.1Requirements

Toreceivemaximumscoreon theair coursethe vehiclemustcomplete thefollowing

  • Mustfitinsideof suppliedcarrier
  • Mustbeabletocarryobject of 2.5”x2.5” x2.5”by0.5lbs
  • Mustbeableto transverserough terrain
  • Mustbeabletopickupobject of2.5”x2.5”x2.5”by0.5lbs
  • Payloadmustweigh lessthan 12lbs including land vehicle and providedcarrier.

2.2.2ObjectDefinition

Theobjectswillhave thefollowingcharacteristics:

  • Eachtarget willhave a uniquehigh visibilitycolor
  • Eachobject will have auniquenumberidentifier
  • Eachobject will be 2.5”x2.5” x2.5”by0.5lbs

Note: Teams canadduniquemarking totheobjectsifdesiredBUTmustbeapprovedbychallengecoordinator.

2.2.3LandDropPointDefinition

Thedrop pointswill havethefollowingcharacteristics:

  • Eachdrop pointwill have auniquehigh visibilitycolorthatmatchestheobject
  • Eachdrop pointwill have auniquenumberidentifierthatmatchestheobject
  • Each drop pointwill be12”x12”

Note: Teamscanadduniquemarking tothedrop pointsif desired BUTmustbeapprovedbychallengecoordinator.

2.2.4Operationzone

Land operationzoneswillhavethe followingidentification.

  • Will bemarkedbya circle
  • Eachzonewillhave a uniquehigh visibilitycolor
  • Eachzonewillhave a uniquenumberidentifier
  • Eachzonewillhave a uniquedropoff location
  • Eachzonewillhave a uniquepickup location

Note: Teamscanadduniquemarking tothezonesifdesired BUTmustbeapprovedbychallengecoordinator.

2.2.5KeyDesignPoints

Thefollowingbulletsaresome keydesign pointsthatwill beinstrumentaltothe successofyourvehicle.

  • Identificationof2nddeliveryobject
  • Identificationofobjectdeliverpoint(s)
  • Able to carry 1stor2nddeliveryobject
  • Able to unload(egress) frompayloadcarrier
  • Able to reload(access) onto payloadcarrier
  • Able to crossrough terrain
  • Able to besecuredto payload bay.
  • Able to meetcombinedpayloadweight
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©2016 The Pennsylvania State University through its Electro-Optics Center, 222 Northpoint Boulevard, Freeport, PA 16229,

724-295-7000

2.3CourseLayout

  • Thecoursewill havefourlanding zones.
  • Thecoursewill havefourobjectdrop/pickupzones
  • Eachland operation zonewill have a package drop pointand a newpackagepickuppoint
  • Thesecondobjectpickedup willindicatethesecond operation zoneto bereached.
  • Thesecondobjectpickedup willalsoindicatethe pickup zone.

Figure 2isa possiblecourselayoutderivedfrom the abovegivendescription.This a templateforthecombinedair/land courseand notmeant tobe aimplementation diagram.

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©2016 The Pennsylvania State University through its Electro-Optics Center, 222 Northpoint Boulevard, Freeport, PA 16229,

724-295-7000

Figure2CourseLayout

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©2016 The Pennsylvania State University through its Electro-Optics Center, 222 Northpoint Boulevard, Freeport, PA 16229,

724-295-7000