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🛩️ Final Design Overview
🛩️ Final Design Overview
Figure 1: Fully Assembled Autogyro
Our final design transforms an off-the-shelf Durafly Auto G2 V2 autogyro into a robust, modular, and semi-autonomous UAV platform tailored for coastal surveillance at Scripps Pier. The upgraded system features a widened composite fuselage, an onboard Pixhawk flight controller, and a real-time 1080p video streaming pipeline. Key design choices were validated through simulation, lab testing, and flight trials.
🧠 System Architecture
🧠 System Architecture
To support autonomous navigation and FPV video streaming, the electronics system was completely re-architected:
Pixhawk 6C Mini: Dual-IMU flight controller with PX4 firmware
DJI Air Unit O4: Low-latency 4K FPV camera with RTMP streaming
Holybro GPS, airspeed sensor, and telemetry radio for reliable GCS communication
Custom wiring harness for power distribution and modular upgrades
Figure 2: Electronics System Architecture
Figure 3: Camera Streaming Architecture
🧱 Structural Redesign
🧱 Structural Redesign
The original EPO foam fuselage lacked the space and strength needed for additional electronics. We designed and tested three fuselage options, ultimately selecting a composite EPP foam panel reinforced with carbon rods. This design preserved the external airfoil shape while increasing internal volume by 33%.
Maintains original rotor-tower alignment for flight stability
Composite panel found to be extremely durable after repeated testing
Epoxy bonded bottom hatch ensures electronics payload is secured and properly supported
Magnetic top hatch enables quick and easy access for servicing
Figure 4: Composite Panel CAD Model
Figure 5: Final Composite Fuselage Assembly
⚙️ Camera Mount Design
⚙️ Camera Mount Design
Two mounting strategies were evaluated:
Fixed Mount: Lightweight 9g PLA bracket, 45° downward angle, minimal vibration
Pan-Tilt Gimbal: Gear-reduced FS90R + MG90S servos, better control but heavier (44g)
After weight testing and stability analysis, the fixed mount was selected due to better balance and lower complexity.
Figure 6: Fixed Mount CAD
Figure 7: Gimbal CAD with Gear Reduction
🎥 Streaming & Computer Vision
🎥 Streaming & Computer Vision
Figure 8: Twitch Stream Snapshot
🔴 Video Performance
🔴 Video Performance
Live stream to Twitch @ 1080p/60fps, 9 Mbps bitrate
DJI OSD overlay provided voltage, RSSI, signal health
🧠 YOLOv8x Integration
🧠 YOLOv8x Integration
Ran offline object detection on FPV footage
Detected common classes; future goal is leopard shark detection
Figure 9: YOLOv8x Inference Frame
🛫 Autonomous Flight Summary
🛫 Autonomous Flight Summary
Figure 10: PX4 Actuator Log Graph
The final flight was performed using PX4 Hold Mode with actuator control verified from logs. Takeoff, cruising, and return were successful.
Flight Video
Flight Log
📈 Summary of Performance
📈 Summary of Performance
Flight Stability
Fully autonomous Hold Mode stable; good lift-to-drag trade
Lift & Drag
+19.2% lift, +9.8% drag with enlarged fuselage
Impact Resistance
Composite survived 3× drop height over XPS foam
Video Streaming
1080p/60fps RTMP feed via DJI Air Unit O4
Computer Vision Ready
YOLOv8x inference tested; supports future CV integration
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