VRTDrone | VTOL Senior Design Project

Summary

The increasing demand for autonomous video systems in sports analysis, broadcasting, and recreational activities has created a need for advanced platforms capable of dynamically capturing footage with minimal user input. Current camera and tracking systems are often limited in their ability to capture footage from multiple perspectives or require significant manual operation to function effectively. While drones provide a promising solution due to their ability to track fast-moving objects and capture unique aerial viewpoints, existing platforms have their own limitations. Conventional multirotor drones offer precise hovering and maneuverability but are constrained by limited flight endurance and coverage area. Conversely, fixed-wing aircraft provide greater speed, range, and efficiency but lack the ability to hover and operate effectively in confined environments.

To address these challenges, this project integrates computer vision, autonomous flight control, and hybrid VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft design to create a system capable of continuously tracking sports balls while transitioning between hover and forward-flight modes. The goal is to provide reliable aerial tracking without requiring constant operator intervention.

This project matters because accurate and affordable aerial tracking technology has the potential to enhance sports analytics, improve athlete training, increase accessibility to professional quality video capture, and reduce the workload placed on drone operators. The primary stakeholders include athletes, coaches, sports organizations, content creators, broadcasters, and drone operators who can benefit from improved tracking performance, extended flight duration, and greater operational flexibility.

The scope of this project includes the design, construction, and testing of a VTOL aircraft capable of autonomous ball detection and tracking, stable transitions between hover and forward flight, and reliable operation in outdoor sporting environments. The project will evaluate flight performance, object-tracking accuracy, and autonomous control capabilities while identifying opportunities for future improvement and real-world deployment.

Technical Approach/Methodology

This project solves the problem by developing a hybrid VTOL drone capable of tracking sports balls while capturing aerial video. The aircraft combines the hovering capability and maneuverability of a quadcopter with the speed, range, and efficiency of a fixed-wing aircraft, allowing it to operate effectively throughout an entire sporting event.

The drone can be operated manually by a pilot or utilize autonomous tracking functions to assist with video capture. Using an onboard camera and computer vision algorithms, the system can detect and track a ball in real time, helping to keep the subject within view while reducing the amount of manual input required from the operator. Flight control software processes this information and can automatically adjust the drone's position to maintain tracking performance while maintaining stable flight.

The aircraft is also capable of transitioning between vertical flight and forward flight modes, enabling it to efficiently cover larger areas while still being able to take off, land, and hover in confined spaces. This combination of manual control, autonomous tracking assistance, and hybrid flight capability provides a flexible platform for sports filming and analysis.

To achieve these capabilities, the project integrates several key technologies, including autonomous flight controllers, computer vision software, onboard sensors, wireless communication systems, and custom aircraft hardware.

Outcomes

By the conclusion of the project, the team successfully designed, constructed, and tested a functional VTOL drone prototype capable of both manual operation and assisted forward flight. Major project deliverables included complete CAD models of the aircraft, aerodynamic analyses used to guide the design process, a fully assembled flight ready prototype, integrated hardware and software systems, and supporting technical documentation and presentations.

The completed prototype incorporated key subsystems including electric motors, electronic speed controllers (ESCs), a flight controller, GPS module, camera, radio receiver, and video transmission system. These components were integrated and configured using Mission Planner software, which was also used for controller tuning and sensor calibration.

Flight testing demonstrated stable hovering performance, GPS assisted position hold, and forward flight with assistance from the quadcopter propulsion system. These tests validated the aircraft's structural design, flight control system, and subsystem integration. In addition, a computer vision-based object tracking system was developed and verified in simulation. The tracking software utilized color-based object identification to detect and follow target objects with satisfactory accuracy under simulated conditions.

While the project successfully demonstrated many of its core objectives, several advanced capabilities were not fully achieved within the project timeline. Autonomous flight functionality was not completely implemented, and fully sustained fixed-wing flight without assistance from the vertical lift motors was not demonstrated.

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