Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulation of UAV hexacopter for Chemical Hazard monitoring mission

Abstract

Field trial is a very critical stage and high risk in UAV development cycle. HILS is a computer-assisted simulation techniques used in the development and testing of complex embedded real-time systems. HILS has the ability to simulate UAV flight characteristics, sensor modeling, and modeling of actuators while communicating in real time with flight control hardware. HILS aims to test the reliability of UAV flight control hardware, integration test of Chemical monitoring systems, and tuning the control parameters. Advantages of using HILS are lower the development costs, improve safety, and streamline the development process. HILS provides development process without using actual UAV platform, but by using a mathematical equation to represent the UAV platform that will be used. HILS implement control system on Pixhawk then the output actuators used as model input. Hexacopter model will produce the attitude and position of hexacopter modeled as sensors model. The output of sensors model will be the input for computing the next control command of Pixhawk. HILS can be used to test the integration of UAV platform with Chemical sensor module to ensure Chemical monitoring missions can run well on the real situation.