Electro-Mechanical Systems Used in UAV Flight Photography and Videography

Electro-Mechanical Systems Used in UAV Flight Photography and Videography

Gimbals are electro-mechanical systems that stabilize a payload, such as a camera or sensor, by allowing it to rotate freely about multiple axes while maintaining its orientation.electro-gimbaled uav flight This allows users to capture clear and steady video footage regardless of the platform’s motion. This is achieved by combining sensors’ data with motor control algorithms.

Depending on the application, the gimbal can point and stabilize in two or three axes.electro-gimbaled uav flight For example, a camera gimbal stabilizes the position of the camera in two axes, pitch and roll (ph, o). More complex applications use up to six axes including yaw, pan, tilt, and roll.

A camera gimbal can greatly reduce or eliminate jittering horizontal movements that occur when shooting videos with a drone or other unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).electro-gimbaled uav flight The gimbal is designed to absorb unwanted movement in the yaw axis and compensate for it by adjusting the UAV’s position. This enables the gimbal to maintain its position even while capturing fast moving objects, such as cars. This feature is also known as Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS).

While a 2-axis gimbal can help minimize jello, the effect can still be noticeable especially in videos with high shutter speeds.electro-gimbaled uav flight This is why most people choose 3-axis gimbals, which offer superior stabilization. However, the third gimbal motor adds weight to the system and consumes more battery power.

The performance of a gimbal is largely dependent on its design and mechanical construction, as well as the sensors and motors used to drive it. The most important sensor is the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that measures accelerations and angular velocity. The IMU then feeds this information to the gimbal’s controller, which adjusts its angular positions according to the IMU’s output signals.

In addition to the IMU, a UAV gimbal can have other sensors such as GPS receivers and encoders. GPS receivers are important for determining the precise location of the UAV during flight. Encoders, on the other hand, provide feedback about the gimbal’s current angle of rotation. This information is essential in calculating the error signals that are then used to correct the gimbal’s position.

The aim of this study is to develop a model-based control algorithm for a three-axis gimbal system mounted on a UAV that is moving autonomously for target tracking. It is identified that the nonlinear Hammerstein model on the three-axis gimbal system has minimum parameter complexity and is robust against external disturbances caused both by the moving platform and environmental conditions. The results show that the gimbal can be controlled reliably in real time for target tracking with the developed control system.