February 19, 2023: Setup targets in Radiosky

Given that the high altitude propellers were missing at the time, we prepared a test setup in Radiosky to try the system. We placed 20 blue targets inside the Radiosky site, and created a coordinate system based on the measured coordinates of the drone RTK base station.

We performed altscans at 500 meters from the POI, located near the Radiosky rooms, pointing from the South (az=150 to avoid the road) and from the East (az=60 to be perpendicular to the site rectangle).

These tests are useful to test the performance of the metrology system.

February 20, 2023: Flight tests in Radiosky

Given that the high altitude propellers were missing at the time, we tested the system in Radiosky, performing several flights with both the 90 and 150 GHz sources. 

We used the same coordinate system from the previous day, and replaced the targets in the same positions, but remeasuring their coordinates for precision.

We performed altscans and stares with gimbal rotation at 500 meters from the POI looking from the East (az=60).

These tests are useful to test the performance of the metrology system and to debug the gimbal rotation software. By the end of the day all systems were performing well.

The high altitude propellers were finally found in the CLASS Toco site (high bay).

February 21, 2023: Setup targets and flight tests in CLASS

We went up early to the CLASS site to setup targets and create a coordinate system. Then in the afternoon we performed 7 test flights.

The coordinate system was based near the launch point, located close (East) but outside the SO LAT base. Again we first set the drone RTK base station, and then determined the coordinates of handheld RTK base station, which was placed 1 meter South from the other. This ensures that the drone RTK coordinates are in the same system as the target coordinates.

The POI was placed in the center between the CLASS1 and CLASS2 telescopes, by measuring the central point with the handheld RTK GPS and adding another 8 meters in elevation to reach the height of the telescopes above the ground. This POI is slightly different from the one used in April 2022.

We performed 7 test flights. None of them were perfect. All of them were altscans from the South. Find a summary of the flights in the table below.

There were many clouds passing, so the TODs contain strong drifts.

These tests are useful to test the performance of the metrology system the signal detected by CLASS.

February 22, 2023: Flight tests in CLASS

We performed 11 flights using both the 90 and 150 GHz source.

The coordinate system was based in the same place as the previous day, close (East) but outside the SO LAT base. Again we first set the drone RTK base station, and then determined the coordinates of handheld RTK base station, which was placed 1 meter South from the other. This ensures that the drone RTK coordinates are in the same system as the target coordinates.

The POI was placed in the center between the CLASS1 and CLASS2 telescopes, by measuring the central point with the handheld RTK GPS and adding another 8 meters in elevation to reach the height of the telescopes above the ground. This POI is slightly different from the one used in April 2022.

The weather was ideal: completely clear, not too cold and no wind.

We performed 4 altscans with 90 GHz source at different CLASS boresight angles, and 3 with the 150 GHz source. We also performed one flight with the 90 GHz source and the PWM turned OFF (not in the right spot). We also performed 2 flights with the drone staring and the gimbal rotating (150 GHz), but the system didn't work for unknown reasons. The final flight was intended to be an altscan with the 150 GHz source, but the drone collapsed before reaching the on target position. The  Find a summary of the flights in the table below.

Flight Plots

Crossings Plots

Flight Control Improvement

Histogramas

CLASS maps

The solid angles of these maps vary between 51 and 54 usr, which the expected solid angle is 49 usr. There is still some sparkiness that could be increasing the solid angle, probably due to miss-behaved detectors.