Physical Prototyping and Flight Testing for Drone Control Validation
Lab’s application deadline: Feb 7, 2025
Eligibility
This internship is open to students registered in a Bachelor's degree program. The plan is to fund this internship with the Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) or the Concordia Undergraduate Student Research Award (CUSRA).
The project will begin the week of April 28th, 2024. The duration is 16 consecutive weeks on a full-time basis (35 hours per week) at the High Reliability Aerospace Design Laboratory (HiRAD). The work period does not include provisions for holidays, except statutory holidays. We are looking for students not enrolled in a course during the duration of the internship.
Internship Description
The HiRAD lab specializes in advancing the design of safety-critical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by creating new methodologies and tools. Recent research has demonstrated the possibility of improving UAV reliability control through a physics-based approach [1], [2].
Figure 1 and 2 illustrate the virtual and physical prototypes employed as case studies in this research.
Figure 1. HARV - Virtual Prototype
Figure 2. Physical Prototype
The objectives of this internship:
1.Develop a new physical prototype to enhance modularity, robustness, and functionality. This includes completing the synchronization of the data acquisition system with the flight controller and integrating additional sensors, such as thermal sensors.
2.Optimize the process for integrating custom control laws into the prototype. This involves developing a transferable Simulink model, uploading it to the flight controller, and performing functional testing in indoor velocity and position closed-loop configurations.
3.Conduct flight tests and analyze the resulting data. The collected data will be compared with the virtual prototype (simulation model) to validate its accuracy and reliability.
The project's key steps include:
1.Review previous reports.
2.Assemble a new physical prototype using the provided components, including the airframe, flight control system, and batteries.
3.Create a control model in Simulink to be transferred to the PX4 controller.
4.Learn to transfer control laws from Simulink to a PX4 controller, and gain proficiency with MATLAB-UAV Toolbox and QGroundControl.
5.Develop a solution for indoor position-closed loop flight testing.
6.Conduct ground and flight tests, followed by data analysis for validation.
7.Prepare detailed reports summarizing findings and outcomes.
References
[1]J. Liscouët, J. Desrosiers, Z. Heit, I. Uwantare, A. Remoundos, and A. Senouci, “Physics-Based Reliability Modeling for Control Applications: Adaptative Control Allocation,” IEEE Access, vol. 12, pp. 161054–161074, Nov. 2024, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3487916.
[2]J. Liscouët, Y. Grytsyk, A. Toma, H. Tan, and S. Ramesh, “Introducing Control Reallocation-Ability for UAV Reliability Optimization,” in AIAA SCITECH 2025 Forum, in AIAA SciTech Forum. Orlando, FL: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Jan. 2025, p. AIAA 2025-1927. doi: https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2025-1927.
Qualifications & Skills
•Proficiency in programming, particularly with Arduino (e.g., completion of MECH 215 or equivalent).
•Strong understanding of aerospace and control engineering principles.
•Experience with Matlab-Simulink.
•Interest in and enthusiasm for drone technology.
•Strong writing and communication skills.
•Demonstrated professionalism.
How to apply
Qualified and highly motivated candidates are invited to send their application per email to jonathan.liscouet@concordia.ca using the subject " Application: Physical Prototyping and Flight Testing for Control Method Validation" with the following elements:
1.Brief email with your motivation and relevant experience
2.Clarify if you are eligible for USRA and/or CUSRA
3.Up-to-date transcript
4.Up-to-date CV
Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)
Values of awards: $6,000 (NSERC) + (Concordia supplement) + $1,500 (FRQNT supplement) + $2,500 (CIADI supplement, competition)
Prerequisites:
- Be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada as of February 1st 2024.
- Be registered in a Bachelor’s degree.
- Have a Cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 (“B” average).
Additional information: https://www.concordia.ca/students/financial/scholarships-funding/awards/nserc-usra.html