Autocopter

Goal

This project is aimed at creating an autonomous electric helicopter that will be able to detect a safe landing area in the near vicinity and decent upon on it.

Objective

The helicopter is designed to be used indoors with the use of multiple sensors. The helicopter will be able to navigate through not only rooms but also tunnels, caves, sewers and mines. This implementation creates great advantages in situations when it is not safe for a person to enter these systems; such as entering an unstable structure (e.g. a caved-in mine) to locate a missing worker, a gas leak in the sewage system of a city or a reconnaissance mission searching for enemies in caves, tunnels or trenches.

Advantages

The device gives a means for military, industrial and commercial organizations to access locations that may be hazardous for human beings, such as the following possible situations:

Structures experiencing a gas leaks or fire

Searching dangerous, unpredictable mines or sewers

Assumptions

The AutoCopter will use three blades

The AutoCopter will take off and land vertically

The CMU camera will identify objects

The AutoCopter will take off and land in designated areas

Limitations

Excessive wind will hinder the performance of the AutoCopter

Direct sunlight will adversely affect the CMU camera

No additional payload can be added to the end product

Specifications

The following specifications may possibly be included and is yet to be determined:

DC Power supply from batteries: < 30 V

Maximum Height: 12 ft

Maximum Flight Time: 30 minutes