Multicopter platform prototype for environmental monitoring

Abstract

Due to the ecological devastation of the natural environment, there is a constant need for monitoring the environmental features changes. Airborne engineering is now rapidly developing, enabling the construction of small automatic flying vehicles, so called multicopters or flying drones. The main objective of this study is to design and manufacture the low cost and low weight quadcopter platform prototype for the purpose of the environmental monitoring and research. A multirotor concept was created, which assumed some executive functions i.e. hovering, environmental data acquisition or Global Positioning System movement. On the basis of these assumptions, platform components were chosen. They include: the frame, drives, electronics and software. Also the presentation of the environmental measurement capabilities, with the use of multicopters was done along with the discussion on application capabilities, advantages and disadvantages of Unmanned Aerial Vechicles for analytical agriculture. On the basis of the project, a prototype quadcopter platform was built. During the tests some corrections to specific components were made. As a result of the whole process, a platform that is able to accomplish the tasks was created. All components of the multicopter have been described, materials used, mounting and connecting them, as well as the presentation of the specific device problems. The manufacturing cost of the drone prototype was lower than EUR 500, weight of less than 750 g and the drone performed all assumed tasks, which was considered a success of the project. Scientific value of the paper includes the guidance of cheap and efficient setup along with the applications.