The objective of this project is to implement controllable load sharing for a hybrid UAV system.
Sponsored by: Lockheed Martin
Team Members
John Sellers Xing Lu Bronson Kilroy Zehao Liu Akshat Harlalka Alexander Hickman
Instructor: Paul Mittan
Project Poster
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Project Video
Project Summary
Overview
Lockheed Martin handed off the design of a previous semester’s capstone project, which was created to implement a power system for a UAV drone using a generator and battery. The team was tasked with modifying the previous design to implement a hybrid controllable load-sharing system in which a propeller is powered by both a generator and a battery simultaneously.
Objectives
– Study the previous semester’s design to gain a full understanding of the power generation system.
– Modify the previous semester’s design to support load sharing between the generator and the battery.
– Provide real-time data to the user through an easy-to-read graphical user interface (GUI). Data output should include current and voltage output from each source.
– Run multiple test cases with the hybrid system and provide data to ensure that power output between the generator and the battery is shared and can be controlled.
Approach
– Simulate a power-sharing system with two parallel diodes in Multisim. This is done to prove the design’s feasibility before physical implementation.
– Connect both the generator and battery to the fan with two parallel diodes. Control the load sharing by adjusting the generator’s voltage output. This is done by utilizing an electronic speed controller connected to the generator and an Arduino. Using this, the user can control which diode is providing power by increasing and decreasing the generator’s voltage.
– Control the power supplied by the generator and the propeller’s power demand through two potentiometers.
– Modify the previous semester’s GUI code to provide data to the user without internet access, lower latency, and updated data readings.
Outcomes
– The hybrid system successfully provides power to the propeller through both a generator and a battery. The power split shared between the two sources is easily controlled via a potentiometer.
– Testing data shows that the battery will respond rapidly to a high-power demand followed by the generator taking over.
– Real-time data such as generator/propeller speed, generator/battery current, and voltage are provided to the user through a GUI.