MP2128³ˣ Triple Redundant UAV Autopilot

Description

MP2128^3x  Triple Redundant UAV Autopilot is comprised of three MicroPilot MP2128^HELI2 autopilots, mounted on an adapter board, or redundancy board.

The three MP2128^HELI2s are prioritized. At the start, the autopilot in position one flies the airframe. If this autopilot should fail, the MP2128^HELI2 in position two takes over, and so on. The redundancy board provides several input/output (I/O) ports. The board also includes two RS232 serial ports designed to communicate with a ground control system via radio modems.

As a result of this design, users never need to work directly with bare circuit boards. Additionally, the autopilots do not have an individual casing, keeping overall weight to a bare minimum; however, the entire redundancy board is enclosed to protect the system.

With 11 serial ports, eight redundant high current drivers and power supplies, and 16 independently-generated servo signals, the MP2128^3x sets new reliability standards within the industry. MP2128^3x  provides the reliability UAV operators need to fly over sensitive regions and geographical areas that without triple redundancy offer little hope for recovering a lost vehicle.   HORIZON ground control software included.

MP2128^3x Triple Redundant UAV Autopilot Features

• Fly both fixed wing and heli UAVs.
• Robust voting mechanism used for autopilot selection.
• Smooth transitions when switching between autopilots.
• Seamless communication transitions.
• Multiple communication links for onboard devices such as cameras, and aircraft transponders.
• Redundant datalinks to ground control station.
• Configuration, state, and waypoint synchronization among all three autopilots.
• Eleven serial ports including RS232 and RS485.
• Sixteen independently-generated servo signals.
• Eight high current drivers controlled independently by each autopilot.
• Independent power for each autopilot.
• Pass or fail voting logic reliably selects the appropriate autopilot.
• Dual GPS types – Ublox and Novatel.
• HORIZON^mp ground control station software with built-in software in the loop simulator.
• Quasi-hardware-in-the-loop (qHWIL) simulator.

Triple Redundancy

Triple redundancy (3X) gives autopilot technology the reliability necessary to safely carry out sensitive flight missions and transport valuable payloads. A triple redundant arrangement is comprised of three similar software and hardware systems. If any one of the three systems fails, the remaining two take over, offering a double redundancy arrangement. If one of the other two systems should fail, the third takes over. An additional mechanism is also included to oversee these three systems. Triple redundant systems are highly tolerant of autopilot hardware failures.

Triple redundant autopilots are not new. Military aircrafts such as the RAF’s Trident fleet, used a triple redundant autoland system in the early 1960’s. Ten years later, the Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde took advantage of 3X technology in its flight control system. Presently, triple redundancy is used in several manned military and commercial aircrafts.

Although triple redundant technology is established within the aviation industry, triple redundant autopilots are a relatively new addition to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). MicroPilot, the leading UAV autopilot manufacturer, is setting the benchmark for triple redundant UAV autopilots. MicroPilot, based in Canada, has been designing autopilots for fixed-wing, transitional and helicopter UAVs since 1994. In 2006 MicroPilot started designing a triple redundancy autopilot for helicopter and fixed-wing UAVs.

About MicroPilot

Started in 1994, with 1,000 clients in over 85 countries, MicroPilot is the world leader in professional autopilots for UAVs and MAVs. MicroPilot is an ISO 9001 autopilot manufacturer to bring to market an ISO 9001 sub 30 gram autopilot, triple redundant autopilot, and full-function general purpose autopilot. MicroPilot offers a family of lightweight UAV autopilots that can fly fixed-wing, transitional, helicopter, and multirotor UAVs. MicroPilot also provides complementary products such as the XTENDER^mp SDK, trueHWIL².

Servos & Mixing
servo outputs: 16
servo resolution (Servos 1-10): 11 bit
servo resolution (Servos 11-16): 10 bit
elevons, flaperons, 4 servo flap/aileron, separate flaps, v-tail, x-tail, split rudders, differential thrust: yes
3 servo mechanical: yes
3 servo 90° CCPM: yes
4 servo 90° CCPM: yes
3 servo 120° CCPM: yes
4 servo 4 corner CCPM: yes
servo update rate: 50 – 200 Hz
separate servo and main battery power supply: yes
separate voltage monitor for main and servo battery power supplies: yes
integrated manual override in LRC-PIC mode: yes

Control System
gain scheduling for optimum performance :yes
selectable inner loop update rates: 30/60/180 Hz
autonomous takeoff and landing supported by AGL: yes
user definable PID feedback loops (for camera stabilization etc): 8
user definable table lookup functions: 8
MP plugin compatible with XTENDERᵐᵖ software developer’s kit: yes
high current solid-state relay outputs: 8

Sensors
altimeter maximum altitude: 12,000m
2g, 3 axis accelerometers: yes
maximum angular rate: 150° per second
attitude update rate: 200 Hz
12 state Kalman filter: yes
ADC input channels: 16
3-axis magnetometers: 3

Navigation
GPS update rate (Primary Receiver): 20Hz
GPS update rate (2nd and 3rd receivers): 4Hz
move servo at waypoint: yes
change altitude at waypoint: yes
change airspeed at waypoint: yes
user definable holding patterns: yes
user definable error handlers (loss of GPS, low battery etc.): yes
RPV and UAV modes: yes
supports DGPS accuracy: yes
supports Carrier Phase GPS accuracy: yes
waypoints: 1,000

Telemetry, Datalog & Video
telemetry (user defined fields transmitted each second): 100
telemetry update rate: 5 – 30 Hz
datalog update rate: 5 – 30 Hz
user definable datalog fields: 24
video overlay (number of user definable fields): 16

Ground control station
HORIZONmp ground control software included with system: yes
MP2028g2 autopilot simulator for operator training: yes
ground control station developer’s kit: yes
gains can be adjusted in-flight: yes
change waypoints in-flight: yes
payload servos controlled from ground station: yes
fly in RC mode via datalink (both stabilized and normal): yes
point-and-click waypoint editor: yes

Physical Characteristics
weight: 859g (30 oz)
(not including GPS antenna)
power: (typical) 750mA @ 12V
supply Voltage: 9 ~ 27V
size – length: 227mm (8.938in)
size – width: 127mm (5.031in)
size – height: 54mm (2.125in)
software upgradable in the field: yes