Robotic
technology is advancing in all directions.
All you need to do is look at DARPA’s website and, then, the website of
one of DARPA’s primary contractors, Boston Dynamics, to get your head spinning
with so many, and such a variety of, exotically new and different
projects. But, before we go, let’s get
some terminology out of the way.
UAV’s come
in all sizes. When they’re small, they
are often, logically, called “mini” UAV’s.
Although I’ve never seen a UAV as small as a nano particle, for some
reason, the prefix “nano” is being used more and more to describe small
UAV’s. So, a small surveillance drone
designed to fly like and hummingbird and camouflaged to, also, look like a
hummingbird, is called the “Nano Air Vehicle.”
Now, any small UAV may be called a “nano” UAV.
Then, we
have quadrotors. These are those UAV’s,
mini or quite large, that sport 4 helicopter type rotor blades. Again, quadrotors have another name,
“quadrocopter” or “quadcopter” and, then, a catch-all name, “quadrotor
helicopter.”
When I
first saw a quadrotor, I found it “different” in a quaint sort of way. I love aircraft from the early days of aviation
because of the diversity and, yet, simplicity of the designs. Somehow, I get that same feeling when I watch
quadrotors in flight. And my instinctive
association of the quadrotor design with the designs of early aviation was,
surprisingly, accurate.
Aircraft
designing pioneer, Etienne Oehmichen, designed and built 6 helicopters in the
1920’s. The second of the 6 was a
quadrotor. Named “Oehmichen No. 2,” this
first quadrotor demonstrated remarkable stability and logged more than a
thousand flights. These fights were only
tests because, in spite of its relative “success,” the Oehmichen No. 2 could
only remain airborne for a few minutes at a time and achieved a range of just a
bit over a half-mile.
Another
quadrotor, the de Bothezat helicopter, was built by the U.S. Air Service in
1922. It sported the, now,
characteristic X-structure with the each rotor at the far end of the one of the
X’s four legs. It flew no higher than 5
meters. Although the de Bothezat
quadrotor’s performance was thought to be good enough to demonstrate
feasibility, this quadrotor suffered from several problems that would haunt all
quadrotors for decades.
All
helicopters, including the quadrotor, are relatively complex machines. Their complicated designs and mechanisms made
them much more susceptible to problems than their “winged” counterpart, the
typical airplane.
The pilot
was required to manipulate four rotors in order to maneuver the quadrotor. Since navigation required continual
adjustment of the direction of each of the four rotors at the same time, it was
impossible for the human pilot to do much of anything else. In other words, the piloting of a quadrotor
was a nightmare.
With all
these problems, you might wonder why the quadrotor design would be revisited
again and again. The reason was that, in
spite of the complexity of both the mechanics and operation, the quadrotor was
an amazingly stable helicopter. The four
rotor design gave the quadrotor a remarkable ability to maneuver with great
precision – a precision that put the conventional helicopter to shame.
In fact,
the conventional helicopter is a kind of watered-down version of the
quadrotor. For mechanical and
operational simplicity, the four rotors were reduced to only one. This made piloting much easier. Horizontal maneuvers were accomplished though
a second, much smaller rotor mounted on the tail.
These
modifications increased reliability and made piloting the conventional
helicopter a manageable task. But these
same “improvements” came at a cost by creating stability and drift issues that
remain with the conventional helicopter to this day.
Because of
its potential advantages, quadrotors continued to appear as prototypes into the
1950’s. But the 4 rotor design would
only “take off,” figuratively and literally, when computers assumed the burden
of navigation. Computer manipulation of
the individual rotors took the seemingly impossible task of piloting the
quadrotor substantially off the shoulders of the pilot. Then, computers moved into the pilot’s
seat.
Sophisticated
military quadrotors (and most all UAV’s) only require two instructions. The first instruction directs the quadrotor
to the coordinates of the target. The
second instruction directs it to the coordinates of the location to which it
will return.
The mini (or sometimes “nano”) version of modern UAV quadrotor has an amazing number of military applications. Ideal for surveillance and reconnaissance, the mini versions of these vehicles can be controlled so precisely that they can be safely operated indoors. The quadrotor’s potential uses in search and rescue operations brought it the attention of law enforcement.
A perfect
fit for a variety of industrial and commercial applications the quadrotor
quickly jumped into the private sector. In
agriculture, for example, a quadrotor can examine conditions in many specific
locations scattered over vast tracks of cultivated land -- without the cost, in
terms of time and money, of physically sending a human being to each location.
And,
finally, could you or I own one?
Yes, we
could. For some readers, one question
comes to mind. How much would one of
those defense contractors charge for a quadrotor? But many readers already know that you don’t
have to go to a defense contractor to find a good quadrotor.
Now, dozens
of manufactures are producing and marketing quadrotors. Some offer entire packages. Others even offer packages that can be
packaged or packed into luggage and carried by any traveler – one who likes to
keep their quadrotor handy.
So, you can
even take your quadrotor to India with you.
Or if you find yourself in India without a quadrotor, you can buy one
from a local manufacturer – one like OM
UAV Systems of Delhi, India.
OM’s Curiosity
Quadcopter UAV is designed to be portable as well as inexpensive to buy and
use. With on-board still and video
cameras, it can be instructed to “visit” and photograph up to 80 locations
(“way points”) on a single trip.
The
“Curiosity” allows the operator to “manually override” the programmed
instructions at any time in a particular “mission.” But if the operator chooses not to interfere,
the Curiosity will operate automatically: taking off, flying to its waypoints,
and landing – all by itself.
But don’t
let the technical specifications fool you into believing quadrotors aren’t . .
. romantic. OM Curiosity’s manufacturer
offers a unique service in which several quadrotors are remotely controlled by
specially trained pilots to produce a . . . “Flower Shower.”
Loaded with
flower petals – yes, I said flower petals – these quadrotors are precisely
positioned to release their botanical “payload” at a just the right moment. But no one has to worry about being bombarded
with a load of petals because the release is a gradual one with petals gently
wafting down around the guests at . . . whatever the special occasion . . .
over a period a period of time – like a gentle snowfall.
To assure
the proper ambiance, the petal-dropping quad’s are equipped with quiet electric
motors. Then, the speed of the motors is
slowed to make their operation even quieter.
Many of us
may not need any flower petal dropping services in the near future but, certainly,
there are those times when many of us could use a quadrotor. And, in the future, many of us may own one.
Thursday 14 August 2014
GCLM5444HOxenia
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