Controlling Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in High Wind Speeds Using Nano-Scale Thermal Anemometry Probes

Abstract

A customized quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system was developed to stabilize in moderate to high wind speed conditions. Nano-scale thermal anemometry probes (NSTAPs) developed by Princeton University’s FAST (Fundamental and Applied Studies in Turbulence) Lab have performed well for turbulence experimentation, but have yet to be tested in non-laboratory conditions and applications. NSTAPs were successfully integrated onboard a custom-built drone, equipped with the open- source Pixhawk flight controller and a Raspberry Pi computer. Custom mechanical and electrical components were designed to integrate the NSTAPs with the overall hardware of the system, and software was written to handle the communication protocol between the sensors and the flight controller. A program was developed to simulate drone dynamics in order to assist with refining control parameters. The NSTAP sensors successfully provided reliable real-time data regarding external flow conditions up to 6.5 m/s to the flight controller. Future works include developing a robust control algorithm using NSTAP sensor data to test the system in high wind speed conditions.