So you probably know by now that by 2025, congress has mandated that 1/3 of all combat vehicles will be unmanned. You have probably heard a lot in the news about the DARPA Grand Challenge, Urban Challenge, the Predator, etc. But how many schools have an undergraduate course in Autonomous Vehicles where you can actually get your hands on experience in that area? In ES456, students learn about navigation sensor technologies such as gyros, accelerometers, GPS, laser range finders. We try to use all of that to as part of a control system that enables the vehicles to navigate effectively.
The final project last year was to make this hovercraft drive autonomously in a straight line. It's really hard to do -- even by remote control. It kind of feels like riding a bike on a sheet of ice. Unlike wheeled or tracked vehicles, there isn't of lot of friction and friction is your Friend when your trying to drive in a straight line. The hovercraft wants to slip sideways, and if you build up too much momentum, you can't count on friction to slow you down.
The vehicle uses gyros and a digital magnetic compass to try to detect when it gets off course. A small microcomputer reads the sensors and decides how to adjust the rudder and thrust to correct course. Unfortunately they didn't have a range sensor, so there is no obstacle avoidance. I guess that will have to wait until next year.
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