RobotX

Major Dimensions for the WAM-V

• Beam: 96 inches (244 cm) [outside to outside]

• Overall Hull Length: 154 inches (391 cm)

• Ski Length: 112 inches (284 cm)

• Hull Diameter: 16.75 inches (42.6 cm)

• Payload: 300 lbs. (136 kg) maximum

• Full Load Displacement: 560 lbs. (255 kg) estimated

• Draft: 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) estimated

"Owner's Operation and Service Manual Maritime RobotX Challenge WAM-V USVx"https://robonation.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2019/09/WAM-V-USVx-for-RobotX-Service-and-Operation-Manual-rev_1.pdf 

Guidance, Navigation and Controls System (GNC)

The GNC system’s hardware is housed in the following boxes, located on the top tray of the WAM-V: Primary GNC Box, and GNC Battery Box.

The Primary GNC Box holds most of the electronics. Major components included in the box are, one Jetson Orin AGX 32GB, and one Jetson Xavier AGX are used for the GNSS system of the vehicle. Lynksis WRT1900AC WiFi Router, Futaba RC receiver, two Teensy 4.1 microcontroller responsible of generating the PWM signal for the propulsion system, subsystems communications and as well of sensor data extraction such as Weather Station AIRMAR 110WX, light tower for displaying Manual/Auto/Kill mode of the vehicle, and a depth sensor from Blue Robotics “Ping”, and finally it contains a custom PCB that manages voltage protection, safety system and voltage converters for the different devices.

Finally, the GNC Battery Box is used to power all of the necessary electronics. One LiFePO4 Battery(12-14.6V) is used to power the GNC system. This battery box is fused, and has a toggle switch. A CAD drawing showing the layout of the GNC Battery Box can be seen below in Fig. 5.

The control software is executed on a Jetson Xavier and a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller. The Jetson Xavier runs most of the vehicle control software while the Teensy 4.1 outputs the propulsion system signal thrusters. These two processors communicate using ROS2. USV control comes from the Remote Controller (RC) when in manual mode and Jetson Xavier when in autonomous mode.

Propulsion System

The propulsion system is composed of two 36V MinnKota Riptide Transom motors. To integrate them on the USV. To integrate them we are using a Roboteq MDC1460 motor controller that receives the input in RC PWM from a Teensy 4.1, and it outputs the voltage signal needed for any thrust. In addition, this motor controller is controlling the servo used for azimuthing the thrusters. The servo used is the Gearwax Torxis Servo !01855. The batteries used for these motors are LBS 36V 40AH LiFePO4 batteries, and we have one for each thruster. In addition we included for the RobotX 2024 competition a pair of bow thrusters that gives us a more robust over-actuated system. 

Vision System

The USV vision system is composed of two key sensors: the ZED 2i Stereo Camera and the VLP-16 HighRes LiDAR.

The ZED 2i Stereo Camera captures 3D visual information by using two lenses to generate depth perception, allowing the USV to perceive its surroundings in real-time. This camera is well-suited for object detection, navigation, and obstacle avoidance in maritime environments, providing both RGB images and depth maps.

The VLP-16 HighRes LiDAR (Velodyne) complements the camera by using laser pulses to create highly accurate 3D maps of the environment. It is capable of detecting objects at various distances, even in low-visibility conditions, making it ideal for tasks like obstacle avoidance, object tracking, and precise mapping.

The Holybro X500 V2 is a robust, versatile quadcopter frame designed for hobbyists and professional UAV developers. Built with high-quality carbon fiber and aluminum, it ensures both durability and lightweight performance, making it an ideal choice for aerial photography, research, or autonomous navigation projects.

Key Features:

• Material: 3K carbon fiber arms and plates, aluminum alloy parts.

• Wheelbase: 500mm, offering excellent stability and payload capacity.

• Weight: 590g (frame only), optimized for balancing flight performance and payload capability.

• Motor Mounting: Compatible with 22xx to 35xx brushless motors, offering flexibility in motor choice.

• Assembly: Pre-built arms with motor mounts for quick assembly.

• Integrated Power Distribution Board (PDB): Simplifies wiring and provides a clean layout for power management.

• Landing Gear: High landing gear design to accommodate various sensors and payloads beneath the body.

• Compatibility: Fully compatible with Pixhawk flight controllers and other standard autopilot systems.

UAV Guidance, Navigation and Control System

The guidance, navigation, and control system is all being handled by a Holybro Pixhawk 6C mini and a Jetson Orin Nano. The controller and sensor stack is all handled internally on the Pixhawk, utilizing the Px4 software.To communicate with the main processor of the UAV, Jetson Orin Nano, Mavlink is used. Mavlink is a serial protocol most commonly used to send data and commands between vehicles and ground stations. MAVROS, which is an extendable communication between computers running ROS2 for any Mavlink enabled autopilot, ground station, or peripheral. The electrical system has 2 main purposes, to monitor and report the system's power usage and individual cell voltages of the 4s lipo battery used and to power and control all of the motors and sensors. 

UAV Vision System

Our UAV vision system integrates two advanced sensors: a single USB camera and the LIVOX Mid-360 LiDAR. These sensors were carefully selected to complement each other, enabling precise object classification and localization at low altitudes for a range of UAV applications such as autonomous navigation, environmental mapping, and surveillance.

System Components:

1. USB Camera:

   • Type: High-resolution USB camera

   • Resolution: 1080p (Full HD)

   • Frame Rate: 30fps, ensuring smooth and detailed video capture

   • Field of View: Wide-angle lens for expansive visual coverage

   • Connectivity: USB 3.0 for fast data transfer and low latency

   • Purpose: The camera captures detailed visual data, providing real-time imagery for object classification and situational awareness.

2. LIVOX Mid-360 LiDAR:

   • Type: 360° panoramic LiDAR sensor

   • Range: Up to 200 meters in detection range

   • Precision: Millimeter-level accuracy for detailed object detection and mapping

   • Field of View: 360° horizontal by 59° vertical, offering comprehensive spatial awareness

   • Points Per Second: 100,000 points per second for accurate 3D mapping

   • Purpose: The LiDAR provides depth information, essential for object localization and environmental mapping, even in low-visibility conditions.

Key Features of the UAV Vision System:

• Object Classification & Localization: The combination of visual and depth data allows the system to identify and locate objects with high accuracy at low altitudes, enabling complex UAV operations such as obstacle avoidance, path planning, and target tracking.

• Sensor Fusion: The integration of the USB camera and LIVOX Mid-360 LiDAR ensures comprehensive environmental perception, improving the reliability and accuracy of the UAV’s vision-based tasks.

• Low-Altitude Optimization: Both sensors are optimized for low-altitude flights, making them ideal for drones involved in close-range missions such as inspections, surveying, or search and rescue operations.

Our custom-designed GUI, built using Python and ROS 2 with Qt Creator 5, offers a powerful and intuitive interface for real-time monitoring, control, and diagnostics of both Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). This all-in-one platform allows operators to manage vehicle operations, monitor communication status, and tune critical system parameters, making it ideal for both vehicles and field missions.

Key Features:

1. Real-Time Sensor Monitoring (USV & UAV):

   • Displays live sensor data for both USVs and UAVs, including GPS, IMU, and LiDAR. Operators can monitor vital parameters such as vehicle position, speed, heading, altitude (for UAVs), and depth/obstacle proximity (for USVs), ensuring comprehensive situational awareness and safe vehicle operation.

2. Communication Status Monitoring:

   • The GUI includes tools to monitor the communication health of the system. You can ping other IP addresses to check connectivity between the control station and the vehicles or other network devices, ensuring stable communication. Additionally, operators can view WiFi connection strength and details, ensuring that wireless connections are strong enough for mission-critical data transfer.

3. Recording and Managing ROSBags:

   • Easily record rosbags to capture mission data for post-mission analysis or diagnostics. The GUI offers simple controls to start, stop, and manage ROSbag recordings, allowing you to log sensor data, vehicle states, and operational inputs for later review.

4. PID Controller Tuning:

   • The GUI allows operators to tune PID controllers in real-time for both USVs and UAVs. With intuitive sliders and input fields, users can adjust proportional (P), integral (I), and derivative (D) gains to optimize vehicle performance in various conditions such as navigation, speed control, or station-keeping (for USVs) and altitude or heading control (for UAVs). Live feedback ensures that adjustments are immediately reflected in the vehicle’s performance, enabling precise tuning.

5. Task Visualization & Interaction:

   • Provides real-time visual feedback for competition tasks such as QR code scanning with the UAV, or navigating through buoys with the USV. The interface helps operators stay engaged with tasks, showing live progress and enabling action on mission-critical tasks such as code scanning, obstacle avoidance, or autonomous waypoint navigation.

6. Heartbeat Message Transmission:

   • Integrated heartbeat message functionality allows the system to send periodic status updates to competition judges, keeping them informed of vehicle health and mission progress automatically.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)