Autopilot programming and operations within an unmanned aerial systems course

Students majoring in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, are expected to have a diverse background of hands-on and theoretical skills.

Since the UAS industry is rapidly growing at approximately 30% per year, quality graduates are in high demand. A junior level course on autonomous aerial vehicles has been created to provide this blend of these essential skills required by the UAS industry.

Concepts related to navigation, control, regulations, guidance, airspace, and autopilot programming are introduced during the twice weekly, one-hour lecture. These topics are reinforced during a once weekly, two-hour laboratory where students in groups of two work during the first third of a fifteen-week semester to integrate an open source, open hardware autopilot into a 3d Printed Quadcopter.

The second third of the semester involves students flight testing their vehicle in outdoor conditions and obtaining real-time telemetry for post flight review. The final third of the semester requires students to fly a simulated package delivery mission where the quadcopter auto takes off, navigates through a series of waypoints, auto lands on a target, and finally returns to launch. The vehicle must fly the entire missions without human interaction.

By combining both hand-on and theoretical skills, students who complete this course have a valuable skillset which is in high demand by the UAS industry.

More info:

https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/aseeil-insectionconference/2019/technology/3/

General Atomics Jobs: Project Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

They have an exciting career opportunity for a Staff Project Engineer in their DMSMS / Obsolescence Engineering Group located in Poway, CA. As their UAV/GCS platforms age, end-of-life from components through complete assemblies has become a critical issue that impacts their entire fleet.

GA-ASI has an exciting opportunity to work in their new DMSMS team to resolve these obsolescence issues across all customers and platforms. They are looking for experienced Project Engineers that are highly motivated, well organized, excellent communicators with strong technical skills to join them.

This position will coordinate with GA-ASI's Engineering Disciplines as well as Customer organizations to develop and implement mitigation strategies to system level obsolescence issues experienced by GA-ASI’s Unmanned Aerial Systems. 

AMONG OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Overall management of complex technical projects from initiation to complete fielding of new or modified UAV systems and LRU's to ensure the continued supportability and viability of the systems.

More info at:

https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/staff-project-engineer-dmsms-obsolescence-group-general-atomics-and-affiliated-companies-JV_IC1147311_KO0,47_KE48,88.htm?jl=2420796643&ctt=1497095517823

General Atomics Jobs: Project Engineer

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

They have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Project Engineer with a focus in integration to support the Quick Reactions group. This position supports the Project Engineering Payload Integration Team, providing systems engineering and technical management of new sensors and payloads onto GA-ASI, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

More info at:

https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/project-engineer-general-atomics-and-affiliated-companies-JV_IC1147311_KO0,16_KE17,57.htm?jl=2450988353&ctt=1497093584449

CAA approval not necessary for UAVs at AAD

South African defence industry companies such as Denel and Paramount Group along with foreign manufacturers of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), also known as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), wanting to fly them at Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) later this year will only have to obtain military permission.

If, for example, Denel Dynamics wants to put its Seeker 400 UAV into the air during the September exhibition at AFB Waterkloof the company will have to obtain permission from and have flight validation approved by the man listed as airshow director on the official AAD website, Colonel Helgard Brink.

The same would apply to Boeing for its ScanEagle and Paramount with its range of UAVs including the Vulture, Kiwit and Sentinel-LE. Gwebu said CAA was in the process of developing guidance material for interim operations of UAVs. “This will form the basis for the development of performance based regulations for full integration of UAVs into civil airspace.”

Civil aviation legislation in South Africa currently does not provide for certification, registration and operations of UAVs in civilian airspace, something CAA chief executive Poppy Khoza recognises. “We are cognisant of the urgent need and demand for UAV usage for commercial and many other reasons. CAA has allotted the necessary resources to ensure speedy integration of drones into South African airspace,” she said.  Her comments follow what the CAA has termed the “illegal flying” of UAVs in South Africa. “CAA will clamp down on this activity in the light of recent reports purporting that individuals and/or organisations are either already operating or intending to operate UAV’s in local civil airspace,” Khoza said. Until regulations are in place, anyone caught operating a UAV could be fined up to R50 000, face up to 19 years behind bars or both.

At the start of the Oscar Pistorius trial in the North Gauteng High Court last month, a UAV was used to capture images of crowds outside the court building in the Pretoria CBD. Earlier this week a Gauteng-based radio station indicated it was planning to utilise UAVs to provide a traffic information service to listeners. These, it would appear, are the immediate target of CAA with at some stage in future attention given to the use of UAV’s to film sports events .