Computer vision-based control of an autonomous blimp

Authors : KORKUT BEKİROĞLU, MARIO SZNAIER, CONSTANTINO LAGOA, BAHRAM SHAFAI

Pages : 4015-4026

View : 9 | Download : 9

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The objective of this study is twofold: to approximate a model of a blimp, and to use this model to develop a setup to track a target with the blimp that is outfitted with a wireless camera and radio-controlled propellers. This article presents a powerful method to track any moving or stationary target with an unmanned aerial vehicle by combining the advantages of the proportional derivative insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(PD); controller, continuously adaptive mean shift insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Camshift); algorithm, and pulse width modulation insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(PWM); method. As a result, it is demonstrated that a decent approximation of blimp behavior is sufficient when using a mathematical model that contains saturation in velocity and actuation. Additionally, a code for the proposed algorithm is developed to capture every frame sample with a frame grabber as a sensor in real time. Once the previously chosen object is tracked, the coordinate data insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(location information); are transferred to the controller to apply required pulses to DC motors on the blimp. In this paper, the proposed controller is outlined in two steps. Initially, one calculates a PD controller that fulfills the specifications of the mathematical model without saturation. Secondly, PWM is utilized to address the impact of nonlinearities.
Keywords : Unmanned air vehicle, PD controller, computer vision Camshift, pulse width modulation, vision based control