Korkut BEKİROĞLU, Constantino LAGOA, Bahram SHAFAI, Mario SZNAIER

Computer vision-based control of an autonomous blimp

The objective of this study is twofold: to approximate a model of a blimp, and to use this model to develop a setup to track a target with the blimp that is outfitted with a wireless camera and radio-controlled propellers. This article presents a powerful method to track any moving or stationary target with an unmanned aerial vehicle by combining the advantages of the proportional derivative (PD) controller, continuously adaptive mean shift (Camshift) algorithm, and pulse width modulation (PWM) method. As a result, it is demonstrated that a decent approximation of blimp behavior is sufficient when using a mathematical model that contains saturation in velocity and actuation. Additionally, a code for the proposed algorithm is developed to capture every frame sample with a frame grabber as a sensor in real time. Once the previously chosen object is tracked, the coordinate data (location information) are transferred to the controller to apply required pulses to DC motors on the blimp. In this paper, the proposed controller is outlined in two steps. Initially, one calculates a PD controller that fulfills the specifications of the mathematical model without saturation. Secondly, PWM is utilized to address the impact of nonlinearities.

PDF

___

[1] Sanz R, Gonz´alez P, Burgard W, Fern´andez JL. Developing a low-cost autonomous indoor blimp. Journal of Physical Agents 2009; 3: 43-53.
[2] Fukao T, Fujitani K, Kanade T. An autonomous blimp for a surveillance system. In: IEEE/RSJ 2003 International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems; 2731 October 2003; Las Vegas, NV, USA. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 1820-1825.
[3] Fukao T, Kanzawa T, Osuka K. Tracking control of an aerial blimp robot based on image information. In: IEEE 2007 International Conference on Control Applications; 13 October 2007; Singapore. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 874-879.
[4] Oh S, Kang S, Lee K, Ahn S, Kim E. Flying display: autonomous blimp with real-time visual tracking and image projection. In: IEEE/RSJ 2006 International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems; 915 October 2006; Beijing, China. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 131-136.
[5] Kawai Y, Hirano H, Azuma T, Fujita M. Visual feedback control of an unmanned planar blimp system with self-scheduling parameter via receding horizon approach. In: IEEE 2004 International Conference on Control Applications; 24 September 2004; Taipei, Taiwan. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 1603-1608.
[6] Bekiroglu K, Sznaier M, Lagoa C, Shafai B. Vision based control of an autonomous blimp with actuator saturation using pulse-width modulation. In: IEEE 2013 International Conference on Control Applications; 2830 August 2013; Hyderabad, India. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 1036-1041.
[7] Nakatsu R, Hoshino J. Entertainment Computing: Technologies and Applications. New York, NY, USA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003.
[8] Tarbouriech, S, Valmorbida G, Garcia G, Biannic J. Stability and performance analysis for linear systems with actuator and sensor saturations subject to un-modeled dynamics. In: IEEE 2008 American Control Conference; 1113 June 2008; Seattle, WA, USA. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 401-406.
[9] Tarbouriech S, Garcia G, Langouet P. Controller design for linear unstable systems with position and rate actuator saturation. In: IEEE 2002 International Conference on Control Applications; 1820 September 2002; Glasgow, UK. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 874-879.
[10] Tingshu H, Teel AR, Zaccarian, L. Performance analysis of saturated systems via two forms of differential inclusions. In: IEEE 2005 Conference on Decision and Control and European Control; 1215 December 2005; Seville, Spain. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 8100-8105.
[11] Valluri S, Kapila V. Geometric control of input saturated systems with guaranteed closed-loop performance and stability. In: IEEE 1999 American Control Conference; 24 June 1999; San Diego, CA, USA. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 2486-2492.
[12] Tingshu H, Zongli L, Chen BM. Analysis and design for discrete-time linear systems subject to actuator saturation. In: IEEE 2001 Conference on Decision and Control; 47 December 2001; Orlando, FL, USA. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 4675-4680.
[13] Gary RB. Real time face and object tracking as a component of a perceptual user interface. In: IEEE 1998 Workshop on Applications of Computer Vision; 1921 October 1998; Princeton, NJ, USA. New York, NY, USA: IEEE. pp. 214-219.