Ultra Mobile UAV Ground Control Station

Ultra Mobile UAV Ground Control Station

Ground Control Station

The NEMESiS GCS combines powerful performance in an optimized new design – perfect for UAV handling, in a standalone ultra-mobile device where all the required sensors have been integrated into a single-sensor cradle that plugs directly to the high-performance tablet PC. This is a universal solution that offers a complete UAV handling and mission management package in the most compact GCS available today.

NEMESiS GCS Hardware

Compact, ALL-in-One Ground Control Station

A quick release sensors cradle hosts all the required sub-systems in a unified structure that plugs directly to the GCS tablet PC. The end result is a compact and portable control station that runs all the task in a single unit.

GCS Tablet

An Intel® Core™ i7 ultra-low voltage mobile processor tablet PC with a SSD is the heart of the NEMESiS GCS that speeds the 3D graphics, 3D video and handling tasks of the NEMESiS UAV to unmatched performance. A capacitive touch screen interface allows simple handling of the whole system with just a few clicks on the map and the touch screen optimized NEMESiS interface.

Pan/Tilt Unit (PTU) antenna

A pair of miniature, high precision, high torque Dynamixel MX-28T motors will always keep the antenna pointed to the quadrocopter. A manual mode allows the antenna to be pointed to any location by simply clicking on the 3D map or by using the manual pan/tilt arrows of the Ground Station.

A CNC through-hole aluminum gear set allows the antenna cables to be routed without interfering with the motors for a true 360 degree (+/- 180) pan and 180 degree (+/-90) tilt operation of the antenna.

A single high gain 13dBi Fat Shark RHCP antenna is used for both video and telemetry, boosting the link quality by a factor of 4. This allows several kilometers of uninterrupted and error free control of the UAV and crystal clear video reception even from very long ranges.

Video and Telemetry Digital Data Link

1 Watt 5.8 GHz Microhard , video and telemetry digital data link ensures robust and blazing fast operation.

Retractable GPS/IMU arm

These two sensors allow the tablet to sense its 3D position to the physical environment and automatically orient the pan/tilt motor mounted antenna to always point to the quadrocopter. Due to these sensors the ground station does not need orientation to the North and it can be placed at any desired position. A truly plug-n-play solution. The tablet mounted PTU can be even moving and the antenna will always point dead-center to the quadrocopter. The sensors arm extends away from the tablet for an interference-free operation and folds back to the storage position when not in use.

Sensors

GPS: uBlox 3DR high sensitivity GPS with on board battery and ground plane.

IMU: Ocean Server high-precision nano-3D compass/gyro/accelerometer.

Stability

Folding variable length Three (3) position Stand/feet

Tripod mounting dock

NEMESiS GCS Software

The NEMESiS Mission Planner application is the heart of the system. It combines inputs from the individual sensors and controls the UAV and the tracking antenna. It is built in a modular architecture with the following characteristics:

3D accurate model of the whole earth including terrain based on NASAs mapping engine

NEMESiS lets you zoom from satellite altitude into any place on Earth. Leveraging high resolution satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data, NEMESiS lets you experience Earth terrain, just as if you were really there. NEMESiS Mission Planner downloads high resolution satellite imagery from commercial or private servers and has the option of importing COTS or private mapping and imagery products. It includes all the necessary tools to measure distances, select units and perform mapping tasks easily.

Map Caching

The maps and terrain elevation data can be downloaded and saved in the NEMESiS GCS memory for offline use so an internet connection on the field is not required.

Real Time Video Display and Mission Recording

NEMESiS GCS not only displays the received video and telemetry but it also records it for post-mission analysis.

Recorded Mission and Video Playback

A playback toolbar allows replaying the recorded video and telemetry data on the 3D maps. Various 3D icons can be selected to represent the UAV flight path.

Accurate Tracking Antenna

The tracking antenna always points and follows the flight path of the UAV in space with an incredible accuracy. High precision algorithms have been developed to achieve the maximum possible tracking accuracy and result in a rock-solid telemetry and video data link.

Georeferenced 3D Video Billboard

A unique NEMESiS video projection technique that geo-locates and space-locates the UAV video in real 3D space. A highly immersive experience that substantially enhances the Situational Awareness of the UAV operators as if they fly the UAV from a real 1st person view.

3D Surround First Person View

This projection technique is similar to the Video Billboard but works with wide FOV cameras and mimics the human FOV. It further expands the FPV FOV in 180 or 360 degrees around the UAV depending on the camera used. Operators can now see what happens all around the UAV in real time.

Gyro-stabilized gimbal mission support capabilities

Point Camera Here

Click on the map to point the camera to the designated location.

Fly-By-Video

Click on an object within the video stream to send the UAV to that object or to orbit above that object

Target-By-Video

Click on an object within the video stream to get its geographic coordinates

Lock gimbal to a point or area of interest

The UAV will keep the optical sensors locked to the target regardless of the UAV motion

Auto and manual gimbal control

The gimbal can be either locked to a target or accept manual pan/tilt commands from the GCS

Object recognition and tracking

An object designated as a “video target” is continuously tracked by the UAV optical sensors and remains in the memory of the video processing unit as a “filed video target”. If the object exits the camera FOV and then reappears, the optical sensor will recognize it and resume tracking it.

QuasiRealTM 3D Video projection

A unique NEMESiS video projection technique that geo-locates and space-locates the UAV video in real 3D space. A highly immersive experience that substantially enhances the Situational Awareness of the operators as if they fly the UAV from a real 1st person view.

Primary Mission Modes

Guided Mode

This is the primary flying mode. Click on the 3D map to fly the UAV to the desired location and orbit there.

Auto Mode

In Auto mode the UAV will follow a pre-programmed mission profile. This profile is planned before the mission and uploaded in the autopilot memory.

Follow Me Mode

The UAV will follow the GCS ground track (if the GCS is moving)

Scramble Mode

Scramble mode is used to immediately take off and fly to a target without any other commands issued by the operator. The UAV is in hibernate mode on the ground with the motors inactive and the battery connected.  As soon as a target is received in the GCS, the UAV will arm itself, take-off and depart to the target autonomously.

Fly-By-Video Mode

This is a unique NEMESiS flight mode that allows the operator to select (click on) an object that appears on the video stream and send the UAV to this object.

Manual Mode

Controls the UAV flight path and camera functions with a joystick. The NEMESiS UAV manual control has been greatly simplified compared to traditional manual flight methods to allow non-experienced users to fly the UAV from the first time without the fear of losing it or creating uncontrolled flight conditions.

Secondary Mission Modes

Hover-In-Place Mode

Whenever the Hover-in-place button in pressed, the UAV will stop at the current location and altitude.

RTB (Return to Base) Mode

When RTB mode is selected, the UAV will return to the Base location. The UAV will first climb to RTB ALT before returning to the base or maintain the current altitude if the current altitude is higher than RTB ALT.

Land Mode

LAND mode selection brings the copter straight down at its current location. Upon landing the UAV will disarm its motors.

Optional Operational Mission Modes

Fly-By-Beacon Mode

This mode is mostly used with Search and Rescue operations or when we wish to detect a missing person, object, etc. A person equipped with a handheld positional beacon emits its current location by activating the beacon. The UAV will receive the beacon transmissions several miles away and fly towards the missing person.  It requires the use of a handheld beacon radio, not provided in the standard configuration. It can be ordered separately.

Fly-By-Laser Mode

The fly-by-laser mode commands the UAV to fly to a target designated by a laser rangefinder. This mode greatly simplifies the UAV handling for targets that are visually acquired to which we wish to send the UAV immediately. The fly-by-laser mode can be combined with the scramble mode for fully autonomous operation. It requires the use of a handheld Laser Rangefinder, not provided in the standard configuration. It can be ordered separately.

Fly-By-Radar Mode

The fly-by-radar mode commands the UAV to fly towards a radar detected target. It can be combined with the scramble mode for fully autonomous operation. It requires the use of a portable radar, not provided in the standard configuration. It can be ordered separately.

Failsafes

Battery Failsafe

The battery failsafe can be set up to automatically trigger an RTB or LAND when the UAV battery voltage or estimated remaining power has crossed a configurable threshold. Two battery levels are used from the battery management algorithms, the “Jocker” and the “Bingo” battery levels.

NEMESiS UAV monitors the battery consumption and the distance travelled and initiates an RTB (return to base) whenever it senses that the battery remaining is at the minimum levels for the current range traveled. This failsafe allows the UAV operator to extend the mission flight time to extend the mission endurance to the maximum possible flight time. Two indications are provided:

“Joker” battery level: The Joker battery indication is triggered when the remaining flight time is 5 minutes (configurable) for the current range. The UAV will issue visual and audible “Joker” alarms and it will continue with the mission until the “Bingo” battery level.

“Bingo” battery level: This is the minimum battery level that allows a safe RTB for the range the UAV is currently flying. The GCS will issue visual and audible “Bingo” alarms and it will initiate an RTB.

GCS Telemetry Failsafe

When the UAV loses telemetry contact with the GCS for a configurable time threshold i.e. 30 seconds, the UAV will initiate an RTB.

GPS Failsafe

If the UAV loses contact with the GPS satellites it will either a) land or b) Hover-in-place until it regains contact with the satellites.  Both options can be selected from the GCS.

Safe-Fly Zones

Safe fly zones (or Geofences) are hand-drawn areas on the NEMESiS GCS that will either a) prevent the UAV from entering these areas or b) prevent the UAV from exiting these areas. These areas include an elevation parameter i.e. max allowable altitude. Safe-fly zones can be cubical, cylindrical or multi point, hand-drawn.