EE 480/481/CS 492/493 Progress.

Team/Project Name:
UAS Tracker

Team Member #1: Michael Turnbull Since

the start of the semester:
• Fixed the ESP32-S3 OpenOCD debugging issue with a combination of manual
patching and updates to Espressif’s OpenOCD, allowing for on-hardware
debugging again
• Finalized & merged the normal-mode MAVLink driver (implemented as sendonly,
and minified to just the messages we use to save flash space) o Finalized,
tested, & merged the MAVLink XML generator script to allow for fully automatic
at-compile-time generation of subset MAVLink ICD XML files, and then automatic
C preprocessor library generation in order to keep the included MAVLink library
as up-to-date as possible at each compile
• Implemented RFD900x asynchronous mesh firmware automatic configuration
• Started implementation of microSD card logging o Identified software-level
requirements (log file format, logging rate, etc) o Initial hardware connectivity
tests o Fixing the ESP32-S3 SDSPI example code
• Enabled compile-time toggling of features, such as allowing a version to be
compiled without the NMEA or MAVLink components present
• Discovered a few hardware intricacies with the IO pinmux and suggested
changes to schematics to fix some issues with JTAG and onboard USB-UART
conversion
• Fixed many bugs, identified many more bugs for future fixing
Team Member #2: Mason Reck
What I did since my last progress report:
Researched the format of the MAVLink statements that will be read into the
ground station software using PyMAVLink, and figured out how the statements will be
interpreted and interact with the graphical user interface.
Casey added a lot of new code to the ground station software and uploaded it to
GitHub. I reviewed the code and approved the upload request.
Anything holding me up on my last progress report's expected activities:
 We’re mostly waiting for the real IO that will be received and sent throughout our
system. The ground station software is relatively simple and will be updated based on
the input it receives from the hardware.
What I plan to do before the next progress report:
Integrate the MAVLink statements with Casey into the Ground Station software. I
know that Casey wanted to work on getting multiple UAS working with the
ground station software, so I will see how he intends on doing that, and help in
the ways I can.
Team Member #3: Bryce Gruber
What I did since my last progress report:
Primarily working towards designing a PCB that meets our generated requirements for
the project. Coming in with absolutely zero RF and PCB design experience from
classes, most of the work has been trying to self-teach myself how the software should
work, what each individual IC needs to function correctly according to the datasheets,
how the ICs need to be configured to work with each other, how to maximize
performance with the different RF ICs being near each other, and how to minimize the
size and shape of the board since it will potentially be used on a large scale of aircraft.
Keeping track of future supply chain issues with the ICs that we have selected for the
project.
Anything holding me up on my last progress report's expected activities:

Supply chain can be argued as a reason for not starting to purchase IC’s for the final
modules. The RFD900ux-SMT is only expected to be back in stock in late March at this
point and is a crucial part of our project. End of the semester goals have been
discussed and altered based on this issue.
What I plan to do before the next progress report:
The first iteration of the PCB is expected to be completed by late February and will be
expected to be altered as issues arise with hardware/review.
Once things warm up, testing our generated test-bed (not our PCB, but individual
components wired together) can be placed onboard our own UAS.
If there is time between the previously listed steps, work on developing a more
advanced ground station for future phases of the project (past our senior project). We
currently are only expecting to use a linked radio receiver to read the outputs of the
modules onboard the UAS for this phase. Future iterations would likely need their own
GPS/barometer for a ground reference to the aircraft.
Continue monitoring the supply chain in case we can change plans towards testing final
hardware configurations.
Team Member #4: Casey Martin
What I did since my last progress report:
• Worked on converting the ground station software into a MAVProxy module o
Ended up changing directions and switched to using pymavlink
• Converted the ground station software to use pymavlink o Reads the MAVlink
data and can redirect it. • Added support for multiple UAS in the backend
• Added support for logging UAS data.
• Started implementing the GUI using stacklayout and a tab bar.
Anything holding me up on my last progress report's expected activities:
The original idea I had of using MAVproxy was a dead end. MAVproxy is a
command line ground station that can load modules on the fly. My idea was to use it as
the backend, but I couldn’t get it to work. I could get the module to initialize but with the
Qt boilerplate it wouldn’t work. Someone more familiar with python most likely could
have hacked around it.
What I plan to do before the next progress report:
I want to have the UI supporting multiple UAS, and have the rebroadcast, logging
and configure tabs complete.

Team Member #5: Andrew Misiani

What I did since my last progress report:
 Working on developing a radio telemetry communication channel to pass data
from the UAV to the ground station.
 The improved the ground station to include the ability to send the received data
to a backup computer with specific IP address which is only known by the ground
control station.
 Making the sure the ground control station can read its location in and time
 Designed the ground station to able to determine and broadcast its barometric
altitude together with its gps location
 Making sure the ground station can send its location and its barometric altitude to
the operator’s computer
 The radio telemetry, location, and altitude data shall all be sent over one output
to the operator’s computer
Anything holding me up on my last progress report's expected activities:

 Fixing some small bungs with real time testing using the more than one
UAV and passing data to the ground station
What I plan to do before the next progress report: