DEVELOPMENT OF AN UAV NAVIGATION SYSTEM THROUGH A SYNTHETIC VISION

In this paper we present the development of an Auxiliary Synthetic Vision System to be used on Unmanned Air Vehicle system. The project “Development of an Unmanned Air Vehicle”, presented at SAE BRASIL 2005 Congress, was the basis of the development of this project. Conceptual tests, hardware and software development were the main objectives. It is possible to pilot the UAV¹ remotely from a ground station equipped with a laptop computer, real-time video, telemetry, interface devices, flight controllers (Joystick), virtual reality helmet and dedicated software. This software, installed on the ground station laptop, monitors constantly the flight information, captures/updates video data and telemetry data in real time, and shows the Head-Up-Display. A second navigation reference is created, a 3D path route. All interfaces between the pilot and the ground station equipments are visual (user friendly) and are shown on the laptop screen and/or on the virtual reality glasses. The VR glasses allow a complete pilot immersion into the navigation system. This is what we define as an UAV navigation system through a synthetic vision.