Blimps are lighter than air vehicles characterized by their non-rigid structure and their use of pressurized gas to maintain their shape as well as provide lift. In this project report, a system for converting an RC blimp for autonomous operation is proposed. The intended application of the autonomous blimp is for indoor surveillance, as blimps are particularly well-suited for such tasks. Their low weight allows for the use of low thrust, electric motors that reduce the power and complexity of the overall system. These low power requirements result in a safe and quiet system that can be used in close proximity with people. To modify a blimp to be operated autonomously, sensing capability must be added, in this case, computer vision and inertial sensing. Both of these sensing systems are used for localization to allow the blimp track its location and orientation within a known space. The sensing systems are used in conjunction with an extended Kalman filter (EKF) and a sensor fusion algorithm to improve the accuracy of the localization process. A Linear-Quadratic Regulator (LQR) controller is then used to create motor commands and allow the blimp to follow a path between locations. Using these control capabilities, the blimp is able to monitor a room for any indoor environmental changes or other disturbances using the existing sensing system, with the option to add additional sensors if necessary.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Saddler, Teresa G.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 23286
• E-project-050621-163605

Advisor

• Demetriou, Michael A.
• Pinciroli, Carlo

Year

• 2021

Date created

• 2021-05-06

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Aerospace Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright