Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AiRT (Technology transfer of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for the creative industry)

Teaser

Nowadays, Aerial film or photography is an indispensable resource for the Creative Industries (CIs) since it expands their creative possibilities, such as filming special shots from different angles and heights, which is beneficial for every photographer. Camera men like...

Summary

Nowadays, Aerial film or photography is an indispensable resource for the Creative Industries (CIs) since it expands their creative possibilities, such as filming special shots from different angles and heights, which is beneficial for every photographer. Camera men like tilting or panning in movies when filming complex shots. Therefore, in the past, helicopters needed to be rented for filming said shots which resulted in high costs and only financially sound companies could afford them. Or, if the scene didn’t require high angle shots but one from moderate heights, scaffolds, jibs or lifting platforms were usually hired or bought. With the rise of the drone industry and the resulting drop of acquisition costs for drones the CIs are employing more of them for aerial footage since
a) costs are manageable
b) bulky infrastructure can be removed (scaffold, jibs, cable cam,…)
c) drones are less invasive (they just fly out of the set and are removed)
d) drones lower the risks for the camera operator (no need to climb up a scaffold, lifting platform,…)
However, professional drone use by CIs is limited to outdoor applications since existing drones lack a precise, robust and affordable indoor positioning system (IPS), as well as advanced safety features. Positioning systems are essential for drone flights. When filming outdoors drones use a GPS, which not only helps the operator locate the drone and program flight paths, but also helps stabilise the drone and avoid drifting issues. So here is the problem: GPS localisation does not work indoors. Firstly, the signal is too subdued, and secondly the GPS’s precision is far too inaccurate with a meter range margin of error. Nevertheless, CIs would also like to use drones indoors, but current available technology is not safe or not affordable for SMEs. Up to now two possibilities exist; motion capture system, which is very reliable and precise (mm-range) but very expensive (>200,000€) and the vision position system which is very unreliable but affordable. However, its correct functioning depends on its surroundings (transparent or reflective surfaces might cause malfunctioning). Moreover, localisation is just in z-axis and with a maximum altitude of 2.5m.
To overcome these issues, AiRT project will include a new indoor positioning system with cm range precision, an intelligent flight control system, the integration of active and passive safety measures and professional camera control. Also, it will be easy to use and cost-efficient.

Work performed

The AIRT project’s methodology is based on design thinking, where the participation of the CIs is present throughout the process.
In the first phase three focus groups were held in Spain, the UK and Belgium to identify needs. From these meetings, we were able to obtain information from thirteen different sectors of the CIs, where 40% of the participants were drone pilots. As a result, we obtained the needs, the ethical issues and the risk analysis through the Qualitative content analysis method and the social network analysis method. The results have been incorporated in the base design of the drone, the development of the European Policy book and the redefinition of the exploitation plan.
On the other hand, in the second phase, from the synthesis of the information obtained in the focus groups and the specifications included in the grant agreement, we wrote a script and a breakdown of that script which were used to develop a storyboard representing the use of the AiRT system in different creative settings, which allowed us to convey our main ideas more clearly.
In the third phase, by using the storyboard, we were able to extract the requirements to define the functionalities of the AiRT system, which include the GCS software, the intelligent flight control system and the final design of the drone.
Currently we are in the fourth phase. All of the components of the AiRT system are now ready and have been tested, with the system integration and technical validation in a relevant environment pending.
In the last phase, we will do a demonstration of the AiRT system with the collaboration of the CIs. Through the use of PAR (participation, action and research) we will carry out the demonstration in real surroundings chosen by the users. Once the demonstration has finished and the results have been processed, the AiRT system will be presented in a workshop, not only to the CIs but also to other sectors of the industry, which will help the launch of the drone in the European Market.

Final results

Four major innovations have to be highlighted in the AiRT Project.
1) The RPAS itself, since it
a) Is especially designed for professional indoor use by CIs with passive and active safety measures
b) Integrates a user-friendly fully automated flight control system.
c) Integrates an IPS based on Ultra-wideband technology (UWB) and an on board RGB-D camera which allows 3D reconstruction of the space prior to the flights for filming.
d) Integrates a new flight mode system. We have designed in total 9 flight modes providing users with different degrees of freedom, from totally manual flight to totally autonomous flight, and a number of intermediate flight modes with configurable restrictions.
2) The IPS
The positioning system is based on novel UWB wireless radio technology, especially suitable for indoor spaces. It is an improved hardware solution, adapted to RPAS, which consists of two types of modules and achieves centimeter exact accuracy in every axis. Moreover, an auto-calibration system is introduced. Pozyx implemented an algorithm which calculates the auto calibration error of the IPS and detects which anchor(s) are responsible for the encountered error. This helps the user detect error sources and rearrange the anchor setup and thus improves overall accuracy/precision.
3) The 3D mapping software for indoor environments
The software allows 3D reconstruction of the indoor space (3D model), achieved in real-time from data that it is collected from the RPAS prior to the filming process. The transmission and visualization of the image is in real time. Therefore, the user can move around the captured environment to study in detail the different areas of the scene while it is being scanned.
4) Multiplexers approach to improve safety
Two multiplexers are integrated to improve RPAS safety: flight and recording. The flight multiplexer selects whether the commands of the manual control (RC command) or the automatic control (OCS) should be sent to the FCS. In addition, the flight multiplexer monitors changes from one mode to another, in order to switch to emergency mode if an error in any operation mode is detected. The recording control multiplexer works exactly the same way.
Apart from technological innovations, the AiRT system also addresses socially relevant topics, such as helping to suppress risky auxiliary means and thus improving the safety of the workers. Users will not need auxiliary devices which present unnecessary risks to their safety or the safety of the workers on set.
To conclude, AiRT contributes not only to the economic growth of Cis but also to other sectors and thus to European economic prosperity. Therefore, industries will be able to offer new services to their clients, helping them expand within the European market and as a result, employment within CIs and other sectors will be secured and new jobs created.

Website & more info

More info: http://www.airt.eu.