Milestone 2

Senior Task Breakdown

Electrical Engineering

Motor types and controller
Electronic speed controller
Power electronics

Computer Engineering

Program ArduPilot on to the PixHawk
Build an IoT device to communicate essential data to the base station

Mechanical Engineering

Top deck cover and hull weight reduction
Batteries for power supply
Load cell

Project Plan

September 2022

Develop a scope for the project, which include desirable goals to be met for the competition date
Inspect manned and unmanned boat in order to determine current flaws that need to be addressed
Identify all long-lead parts and begin researching for the best possible parts
- Batteries for the manned boat
- Motor controller for the manned boat
- Raspberry Pi
Develop a preliminary budget based on findings

October - November 2022

Test existing parts to ensure functionality
Finalize budget plan
Begin purchasing of long-lead parts and other necessary hardware
Begin prototyping
- GPS system
- Top deck cover
- Load cell
- Boat to shore system

December 2022

Finalize purchasing of all components
Have all necessary teammates ensure completion of boating certificate
Begin framework of program in ArduPilot software

January - February 2023

Begin integration of purchased parts

March 2023

Begin field testing of the manned boat
Begin field testing of the unmanned boat

April - May 2023

April 28th - Pitch at Innovation Expo
Final adjustments and testing of both boats

June 27th & 28th 2023

ASNE competition
Finalize and prepare documentation for transitioning for continuation of the project

Design Concepts

Boat Layout Concept

ArduPilot Software Concept

Design Concept Selection

Raspberry Pi 4 Motor Controller

PixHawk Motor Controller

The team is currently has two alternative designs for the motor controller that will be evaluated based on weight, power consumption, and compatibility.

The Raspberry Pi 4 Motor Controller system utilizes GPIO pins on the Pi and USB connectors. The design involves writing multiple programs to integrate all sensor data to make a decision on the output to the Arduino, which sends a control signal to the Servo Motor Driver and ESC.

The PixHawk 2.4.8 is a well documented system that uses ArduPilot to control the motors. The PixHawk has fixed inputs and outputs for sensors. It can transmit video and data to a base station. Data from all sensors are sent to the PixHawk and it makes decisions based on how its travelling to a selected destination.

The team ultimately chose the PixHawk Motor Controller system to use for the boat. The PixHawk uses less power and is lighter than the Raspberry Pi 4 system. The PixHawk being well document is a bonus resource the team can use for troubleshooting.