eBumper Obstacle Avoidance
and Precision Operation
Introduction
Panoptes
is the Greek for “all-seeing” the company started in 2014 as a derivative from
Aurora Flight Sciences and is dedicated on providing small unmanned vehicles
"sense and avoid systems. The eBumper is a commercial available, sonar
supported system for small unmanned vehicles for slow speeds and indoor
maneuvers. Bumping into objects is one of the major difficulties. eBumper
assists the operator to avoid objects. It also involves protection from
inaccurate operating inputs and minor wind. The eBumper flights in unrestricted
spaces require no adjustment. The operator can change from manual to precision
mode which balances inputs, allowing for more accurate flight control
(Panoptes, n.d.). The eBumper constantly checks its surroundings for objects on
the path. If one is sensed, the eBumper reacts to lower the possibility of an
accident. As the vehicle shifts apart from the object, control of the vehicle
is restored to the operator.
Mode of Operation
Four
sonar sensors present the aircraft with data pertaining to the surroundings
forward, left, right, and on top of it. Once the eBumper detects an object in
its range, it stops the vehicle from flying near to an object, maintaining the vehicle
at a cautious range. The eBumper is also used on high speed focused on eBumper
performance at fast speed. EBumper executes all stopping action. Top speed is
100 inches per second (Panoptes, n.d.). The operator can select from the remote
control two different modes precision and performance. Precision mode guards
the vehicle at safe distances, and controls how faraway the vehicle starts
implementing a collision evasion maneuver. Select performance mode for high
speeds in unrestricted spaces, or select precision mode for low speeds in
scattered surroundings. With the turn of a button, the vehicle takes of
automatically and floats 6 feet off the ground (Panoptes, n.d). The top sensor,
allows to control vehicle when lifting off. Adjust the sensitivity of the
vehicle to operator inputs, gives the capacity to more accurate control location
and speed, convenient for inside flight in constricted areas. When objects are
near to the right and, left the self-centering utility positions the vehicle
among them, leveling the space to the object on both sides.
Characteristics and Specifications
EBumper
characteristics are designed thru a graphical user interface (GUI) offered for
Windows PC and Android, so the system can be adapted to fit the user specific
requirements. eBumper comes with four sonar sensors and an integrated circuit
technology panel already mounted in an ABS thermo-plastic polymer case,
installing hardware, manual, and a lanyard for the remote control. eBumper is
intended as a modification set that fastens to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, It
takes about 20 minutes to install. In the future the sensor capabilities will
be accessible as software upgrades rather than expensive hardware. In addition
to not running into objects there is so much to do with the information about aircraft's
environment. Tractor beam easily moves the vehicle away or towards an item of
significance providing an actual focal effect impression to the film. The
relative position maintains a continuous point in relation to an item of
importance even if it is static or moving. The obstacle avoidance for waypoint
flying autonomously avoid obstacles while on a waypoint to an assignment. The
training mode allows the operator to progressively increase the control inputs
as the operator becomes more familiar with flying. Users can make the most of
their eBumper, they can customize its settings and easily write apps for it.
eBumper offers a software development kit (SDK) to create new applications The development
kit supplies files to open the information detected by the eBumper, in addition
to offering an interface to hand instructions back to the vehicle (Panoptes,
n.d). Unmanned aircraft have a propensity to fade the signal connection and so
if the vehicle drops the signal the aircraft no longer can sense and avoid consistently
to provide safe operation. In order to support safe integration of the vehicles
there has to be sensors on board a last level of safety. eBumper has minor
effects on vehicle endurance, it increases the weight by 80 grams to the UAV,
but because of the echolocation sensors it cut down the vehicle's performance by
two to three minutes depending on climate environments (Dronelife.Com, 2016).
Technical Specifications
MSRP $499
Detection Range: 15ft
Maximum Collision Protection
Speed: 5kts (8.5ft/s)
Field of View of Sensors: 40 degrees cone
Sensed Directions: Forward, left,
right and up
Reduction in Flight Time with
eBumper: 2-3 minutes
Net Weight Increase: 130 grams
Blind Spots Between Sensors: 50 degrees
Supported Aircraft Types: DJI
Phantom 2 Product Line, 3D Robotics Iris+
Required Interfaces: NAZA Flight
controller maintains full I/O support with eBumper installed or Pixhawk.
Figure1 Technical Specs ((Dronelife.Com,
2016).
Conclusion
The Panoptes eBumper is a solution
to the technological blockade for sense and avoid in small Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles. The technology is been in use in other implementations, called
echolocation. eBumper uses echolocation like whales and bats do to sense
objects when in operation. (Panoptesuavcom, 2016).
References
DIY Drones. (2016). Sense and
Avoid "eBumper" available for IRIS+. Retrieved from http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/sense-and-avoid-ebumper-available-for-iris
Dronelife.Com. (2016). Drone
Flying Made Easy with the Panoptes eBumper. Retrieved from http://dronelife.com/2014/10/31/making-flying-easy-panoptes-e-bumper/
Panoptes. (n.d.). Meet eBumper Explore with Confidence.
Retrieved from http://www.panoptesuav.com/ebumper/
