Unmanned Systems Technology 012 | AutoNaut USV | Connectors | Unmanned Ground Vehicles | Cobra Aero A33i | Intel Falcon 8+ UAV | Propellers | CES Show report

67 Intel Falcon 8+ UAV | Digest increasingly common in UAVs because of their low weight, high discharge capacity and superior power density compared with NiMH and NiCd power cells, as well as their ability to be made thinner than lithium-ion cells, albeit at greater manufacturing cost. Where the Falcon 8+’s power system differs is in the set-up. Each Powerpack uses a battery identifier (BID) chip that continuously monitors the status and performance of each cell. As well as tracking the power levels, and autonomously controlling charge and discharge patterns to keep power at about 60% to maximise battery lifespan when in storage (and to recharge fully once their use is imminent), the systems enable some useful safety and redundancy features. Having a second battery pack means in principle that if one stops working, the other can compensate. However, as Stumpf explains, “If you just do what many UAV manufacturers do, and connect two battery packs to two plugs, the packs are still actually connected, so if one battery breaks down, that actually drags the other one down with it.” In the Falcon 8+ though, the BID chips can disconnect one of the two Powerpacks entirely. If during operation a battery’s wires should suffer a short- circuit, for example, the BID chip detects that and disconnects the pack from power supply, minimising the chances of fire or heat damage. Alternatively, if one pack’s power should run below 3.0 V, regardless of whether the other still has considerable charge remaining, that can cause internal resistance to rise sharply, leading to energy being lost as heat. That has the potential to cause irreversible damage to the battery, making its disconnection the optimal reaction. At this point of course, power may be too low to continue flying anyway, but as Stumpf notes, a forced but controlled landing is safer and less costly than a total power loss followed by a crash. He also points out that when needing to recharge the batteries, the Powerpack housing contains all the necessary charging electronics. “That allows you to connect just a simple power bus from the outside, without having to use for example a balancer board, set specific voltage parameters and follow a list of instructions that you could get wrong.” Collision avoidance It may seem curious that the Falcon 8+ has an array of redundancies and safety features, yet does not include a collision avoidance system, nor is one available as a payload option. However, as Intel confirms, development of a sense-and- avoid capability is already underway, by integrating an 8 g Intel Realsense camera. The Realsense system can generate a 3D point cloud, recognise and follow targets, and simultaneously avoid obstacles. This capability was demonstrated first at the CES show in 2016, and again in the summer when it inspected fuselage damage on an Airbus. Although a release date has yet to be confirmed, the company says it will be made available as a payload option after sufficient testing and proving at Intel. “Sense and avoid is a crucial safety feature, so we want to be sure we are bulletproof on performance before making the system commercially available,” Stumpf says. “I can’t comment on how exactly we’ll implement the collision avoidance feature; what we definitely want is for all Falcon 8+ users to have an upgrade path.” The subsystems on the Falcon 8+ are designed to guard against a host of issues that UAVs may face as their use grows. Accurate continuous flight is ensured through a triple-redundant autopilot that rapidly identifies and corrects for sensor faults. Comms integrity in transmission- dense airspace is enhanced by using FHSS. And redundant modules for navigation, comms and power ensure that the failure of a critical system does not lead to the loss of the aircraft, collateral damage or casualties. Safety concerns represent some of the most prominent barriers to the widespread adoption of unmanned systems. The absence of a pilot to directly implement safety procedures on the aircraft is understandably of concern to many people; however, comprehensively redundant systems such as the Falcon 8+ can do much to assuage the fears of regulators as well as civilians. Unmanned Systems Technology | February/March 2017 Each Intel Powerpack uses a BID chip to monitor its battery, and can disconnect itself in the event of a short-circuit or empty charge to prevent heat damage