Ground Control Center Research Articles

IOT Based Mining, Tracking and Worker Safety Helmet

Abstract: This project addresses a cost-effective, flexible solution of underground mine workers safety. A module of MEMS and temperature-based sensors are used for underground environment monitoring and automating progression of measurement data through IOT communication technique is proposed with high accuracy, smooth control and reliability. Arduino microcontroller is used for collecting data and making decision, based on which the mine worker is informed through server. Sensor data transforms into digital signal and effectively communicate wirelessly with the ground control centre computer.

On UAV Terrestrial Connectivity Enhancement through Smart Selective Antennas

Nowadays, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are widely used in heterogeneous contexts and, thanks to a continuous technological evolution, are going to be used for several applications such as, for example, Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. Since in BVLOS flights the UAV and the ground control center may not have a direct visibility with each other, a robust communication system is needed to provide reliable connectivity. Although a cellular (4G/5G) network is the current best candidate to enable BVLOS applications, there are still some limitations to overcome, as 4G (LTE) and 5G (NR) cellular networks are natively designed for terrestrial use. In this paper, we first investigate current cellular communication limitations for UAV-based applications, in particular taking into account both results available in the literature, as well as experimental performance campaigns. Then, a viable solution for mitigating these drawbacks exploiting selective on-board antennas is proposed, whose performance is experimentally investigated with a preliminary prototypical architecture.

Deep Learning Based Object Detection with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Equipped with Embedded System

This study aims to introduce an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platform capable of performing real-time object detection and classification tasks using computer vision techniques in the field of artificial intelligence. Previous scientific research reveals the utilization of two different methods for object detection and classification via UAVs. One of these methods involves transmitting the acquired UAV images to a ground control center for processing, whereafter the processed data is relayed back to the UAV. The other approach entails transferring images over the internet to a cloud system, where image processing is conducted, and the resultant data is subsequently sent back to the UAV. This allows the UAV to autonomously perform predefined tasks. Enabling the UAV with autonomous decision-making capabilities and the ability to perform object detection and classification from recorded images requires an embedded artificial intelligence module. The ability of the UAV to utilize image processing technologies through embedded systems significantly enhances its object detection and classification capabilities, providing it with a significant advantage. This enables the UAV to be used more effectively and reliably in various tasks. In the proposed approach, image processing was achieved by mounting a Raspberry Pi 4 and camera on the UAV. Additionally, a Raspberry Pi-compatible 4G/LTE modem kit was used to provide remote intervention capability, and the Coral Edge TPU auxiliary processor was used to increase object detection speed. The TensorFlow Library and the SSD MobilNetV2 convolutional neural network model were used for image processing. During test flights, accuracy values of approximately 96.3% for car detection and 96.2% for human detection were achieved.

Авіаційна та космічна галузі в постіндустріальному розвитку

The article raises the issue of the relevance of the development of international cooperation in the aerospace industry, taking into account the trends of post-industrial society, the development of artificial intelligence, and the transformation of the world society. It is specified that one of the key indicators of the transition from an industrial to a post-industrial society is the active development of the service sector and the importance of education and the knowledge economy, which come to the fore. The economy of post-industrial societies is dominated by innovative sectors such as high-performance industries, high-quality and innovative services as a share of GDP, and a larger share of the population employed in the service sector than in industrial production. A country with a highly developed aerospace industry demonstrates its national strength, scientific and technological innovation, effective public policy, strategic vision and principles of national security. At the international level, the leading countries of the world have identified the coordination of space activities and the development of aerospace industry as a priority of the national level. Ukraine has a complete space complex (rockets, spacecraft, ground control centers, data processing centers) and most aviation platforms (reusable spacecraft, some passenger aircraft, military transport, transport-only), has the potential for construction, research and development, can organize the production, operation and use of the rocket, space and aviation technology. The aviation industry and the space industry outline the long-term prospects for the development of the country’s economy. In terms of development, the aerospace industry is ahead of other industries and plays a vital role in modern civilization. The development of the aviation industry is urgent for Ukraine, including the development of ground airport infrastructure, air transport and a combination of ground and air transport.

Research and Practice of Intelligent Separate Production Technology with Cable in Huabei Oilfield

In order to improve the separate production effect of sandstone reservoir in Huabei Oilfield and give full play to the production capacity of medium and low permeability layers, the intelligent separate production technology with cable is designed and developed. The technology uses cable packer to seal each layer in the well, and a set of intelligent separate production device is connected to the corresponding string position of each target layer. During the production process, the intelligent separate production device can send instructions according to the ground control center Open or close the oil layer to realize the exploitation of any layer and multi-layer co production of any layer. It can accurately measure the liquid production and properties of each section of the well, and calculate the formation permeability, skin factor and other parameters by sections, so as to realize the continuous testing and monitoring function.In the later stage, the switch opening can be adjusted by remote control to adjust the output of each layer in time to meet different production allocation requirements and achieve the purpose of increasing oil and reducing water, which is of great significance to realize the accurate development of the reservoir.

Application of UAVs and Image Processing for Riverbank Inspection

Many rivers are polluted by trash and garbage that can affect the environment. Riverbank inspection usually relies on workers of the environmental protection office, but sometimes the places are unreachable. This study applies unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to perform the inspection task, which can significantly relieve labor work. Two UAVs are used to cover a wide area of riverside and capture riverbank images. The images from different UAVs are stitched using the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm. Static and dynamic image stitching are tested. Different you only look once (YOLO) algorithms are applied to identify riverbank garbage. Modified YOLO algorithms improve the accuracy of riverine waste identification, while the SIFT algorithm stitches the images obtained from the UAV cameras. Then, the stitching results and garbage data are sent to a video streaming server, allowing government officials to check waste information from the real-time multi-camera stitching images. The UAVs utilize 4G communication to transmit the video stream to the server. The transmission distance is long enough for this study, and the reliability is excellent in the test fields that are covered by the 4G communication network. In the automatic reconnection mechanism, we set the timeout to 1.8 s. The UAVs will automatically reconnect to the video streaming server if the disconnection time exceeds the timeout. Based on the energy provided by the onboard battery, the UAV can be operated for 20 min in a mission. The UAV inspection distance along a preplanned path is about 1 km at a speed of 1 m/s. The proposed UAV system can replace inspection labor, successfully identify riverside garbage, and transmit the related information and location on the map to the ground control center in real time.

APPLICATION OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION AND TECHNICAL VISION TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE AVIATION SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS

The subject of research in the article is approaches to improving the onboard equipment of a search and rescue aircraft (AC). The purpose of the study is to develop proposals for improving the technical means of searching for aircraft that have suffered an accident, namely video surveillance systems and information transmission to the control centers (CC) of the search and rescue operation, based on the analysis of the Rules for Search and Rescue Support of Flights of the State Aviation of Ukraine and foreign experience in search and rescue operations. It is proposed to use a light multipurpose helicopter of the Mi-2 type as a search and rescue aircraft (SRAC). The work solves the following problems: studying modern approaches to ensuring aviation search and rescue operations; analyzing technical means of ensuring the search for crashed aircraft; developing proposals for a method of transmitting information from the airborne control center to the ground control center; selecting a suitable carrier for special equipment and individual samples of video surveillance and data transmission systems. The method of comparative analysis is used to solve partial problems. The following results have been obtained: the requirements for the search characteristics of SRAC are determined, in particular, it is proposed to use a light multipurpose helicopter as SRAC; a scheme for organizing communication with the search operation control center using wireless communication technologies is presented; specific requirements for individual components of SRAC onboard special equipment are formulated. Conclusions. The introduction of wireless communication technologies together with thermal imaging equipment will increase the speed and efficiency of searching for crashed aircraft, especially at night and in conditions of limited visibility (fog, smoke). In addition, the range of tasks of light helicopters such as the Mi-2 is expanding, and the number of both onboard and ground operators directly using thermal imaging equipment (infrared camera) to determine the location of the crash is increasing. In this case, the total number of personnel involved in search and rescue operations is not affected.

구동기 비선형 모델을 이용한 워터제트 추진 무인수상정의 조이스틱기반 이접안 제어 알고리즘

Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV)’s berthing and unberthing is the most difficult maneuvering tasks and have the highest risk of accidents. In this paper, we designed a berthing/unberthing control algorithm given human joystick command for an USV equipped with a waterjet and a bow thruster. The berthing and unberthing maneuvers are performed remotely by a joystick operator at the Ground Control Center (GCC) where the status of USV and environmental situation can be monitored. We interpret the human joystick commands into USV’s desired speed, yaw rate, and heading angle commands. next, we developed a control algorithm for the desired target values of MIMO actuators (engine speed, bucket step, nozzle angle, and bow thruster state) to follow the interpreted commands. The validity of the control algorithm is confirmed through simulations and sea trials at Gwang Am port.

Robotic-biological systems for detection and identification of explosive ordnance: concept, general structure, and models

The subject of this study is systems for detection and identification (D&I) of explosive ordnance (EO). The aim of this study is to develop a concept, general structure, and models of a robotic-biological system for D&I of EO (RBS-D&I). The objectives are as follows: 1) to classify mobile systems for D&I of EO and suggest a concept of RBS-D&I; 2) to develop the general structure of RBS-D&I consisting of robotic (flying and ground) and biological subsystems; 3) to develop models of RBS-D&I including automaton, hierarchical, and operational ones; 4) to describe tasks and planned results of the article-related scientific project; and 5) to discuss research results. The following results were obtained. 1) The general structure of the RBS-D&I. The structure comprises the following levels: control and processing centres (mobile ground control and processing centre (MGCPC) and virtual control and processing centre); forces for detection and identification (fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (FoU), biological detection information subsystem (BDIS), and robotic detection information subsystem (RDIS)); interference; natural covers and a bedding surface; and target objects (all munitions containing explosives, nuclear fission or fusion materials and biological and chemical agents). 2) A concept of RBS-D&I. The concept is based on RBS-D&I description, analysis, development, and operation as an integrated complex cyber-physical and cyber-biological system running in changing physical and information environments. 3) The RBS-D&I automata model. The model describes RBS-D&I operating in two modes. In mode 1, FoU and BDIS operate separately and interact through the MGCPC only. In mode 2, depending on the specifics of the tasks performed, FoU and RDIS can directly interact among themselves or through the MGCPC. 4) hierarchical model. The model has two sets of vertices: EO detection and platforms equipped with the necessary sensors. 5) An operational cycle model. The model describes land release operations via a methodology of functional modeling and graphic description of IDEF0 processes. Conclusions. The proposed concept and RBS-D&I solutions can provide high-performance and guaranteed EO detection in designated areas by the implementation of an intelligent platform and tools for planning the use of multifunctional fleets of UAVs and other RBS-D&I subsystems.

Train-Centric Communication Based Autonomous Train Control System

Driverless train control systems are becoming popular in the world. Notably, this technology has already been applied for several years. However, these kinds of Automatic Train Operation systems are still under the framework that network elements and movement authority are generated from the ground control center. Hence, the aforementioned rail systems are “automated” but not “autonomous,” and the architecture utilization and train tracking interval are limited. With the development of advanced sensors and control algorithms, the train intends to be equipped with a decision-making capability. In order to further improve train movement coordination and efficiency, an Autonomous Train Control System (ATCS) is proposed. This paper provides three main contributions: Firstly, the system structure is described, and the information following in ATCS is discussed with general operation scenarios. Secondly, data isolation is broken under ATCS, and data prediction and edge-based information fusion are applied to process the real dynamic data and estimate the train's speed and position. Thirdly, with the assistant of data fusion, model predictive and data-based control methodologies are discussed.

Protected Fair Secret Sharing Based Bivariate Asymmetric Polynomials in Satellite Network

Verifiable secret sharing mainly solves the cheating behavior between malicious participants and the ground control center in the satellite network. The verification stage can verify the effectiveness of secret shares issued by the ground control center to each participant and verify the effectiveness of secret shares shown by participants. We use a lot of difficult assumptions based on mathematical problems in the verification stage, such as solving the difficult problem of the discrete logarithm, large integer prime factorization, and so on. Compared with other verifiable secret sharing schemes designed for difficult problems under the same security, the verifiable secret sharing scheme based on the Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) system has the advantages of less computational overhead and shorter key. At present, the binary polynomial is a single secret scheme and cannot provide effective verification. Therefore, based on a Protected Verifiable Synchronous Multi Secret Sharing (PVS-MSS) scheme, this paper is designed based on bivariate asymmetric polynomials. The advanced verifiable attribute is introduced into the Protected Secret Sharing (PSS) scheme. This paper extends the protected synchronous multi-secret sharing scheme based on bivariate polynomial design. The ECC system constructs the security channel between the ground control center and participants and constructs the verification algorithm. Through the verification algorithm, any participant can verify the consistency and effectiveness of the secret shadow and secret share received from other participants or presented by the secret distribution center. Therefore, no additional key agreement protocol is required; participants do not need to negotiate the session key for encryption; the secret share polynomial can generate the session key between participants and speed up the secret reconstruction process. The verification stage has lower computational complexity than the verifiable scheme constructed by Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) and other encryption methods. Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT) is used to update the secret shadow. The secret shadow does not need to be updated with the change of the scheme shared secret, and the public value update efficiency is higher. Reduce the complexity of sharing secret updates in a synchronous multi-secret sharing scheme.

Cluster space key management scheme based on threshold secret sharing and bilinear pairing

SummarySpace key management schemes play a critical role in space information network security services. However, the existing space key management schemes are inefficient. To overcome these problems, this paper proposed a cluster group key management scheme, in which the space nodes are divided into different clusters. The ground control center (GCC) is used as a private key generation center. The threshold technique based on low‐density parity‐check code (LDPC) is used in the group key management of the cluster‐heads. The key escrow is transferred to GCC, which is a compromise of efficiency and security. The logical key hierarchy is used to manage the group key of the cluster. Furthermore, the bilinear paring‐based cryptosystem is employed to provide the identification. The formalized security proof of the protocol using the Extended Canetti–Krawczyk (ECK) model is introduced to prove the authentication and security. The consistency, forward secrecy, backward secrecy, ability to against the collusion attack and performance are analyzed and simulated. The result shows that the proposed scheme takes lower storage cost and computational cost.

UTM-Chain: Blockchain-Based Secure Unmanned Traffic Management for Internet of Drones.

Unmanned aerial systems (UAVs) are dramatically evolving and promoting several civil applications. However, they are still prone to many security issues that threaten public safety. Security becomes even more challenging when they are connected to the Internet as their data stream is exposed to attacks. Unmanned traffic management (UTM) represents one of the most important topics for small unmanned aerial systems for beyond-line-of-sight operations in controlled low-altitude airspace. However, without securing the flight path exchanges between drones and ground stations or control centers, serious security threats may lead to disastrous situations. For example, a predefined flight path could be easily altered to make the drone perform illegal operations. Motivated by these facts, this paper discusses the security issues for UTM’s components and addresses the security requirements for such systems. Moreover, we propose UTM-Chain, a lightweight blockchain-based security solution using hyperledger fabric for UTM of low-altitude UAVs which fits the computational and storage resources limitations of UAVs. Moreover, UTM-Chain provides secure and unalterable traffic data between the UAVs and their ground control stations. The performance of the proposed system related to transaction latency and resource utilization is analyzed by using cAdvisor. Finally, the analysis of security aspects demonstrates that the proposed UTM-Chain scheme is feasible and extensible for the secure sharing of UAV data.

Stratospheric balloon-based dropsonde technology: Development and preliminary assessment over the Tibetan Plateau: 基于高空气球平台的下投探空:系统研发和青藏高原实验

To complement the atmospheric profile measurements under complex geographical environments and extreme weather conditions, a stratospheric balloon-based dropsonde technology, which is carried by a stratospheric balloon platform from the Earth's surface to the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) to release the dropsonde for measurements, is independently developed and preliminarily assessed over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in this study. The dropsonde system is mainly composed of the dropsonde chamber, dropsonde with a parachute, data receiving and communication antennas, dropsonde-releasing device, and GPS (Global Positioning System) modules. The dropsonde measurements can be sent in real time through satellite communication links and by radio signals to a data receiver at the ground control center for storage and processing. A total of eight dropsondes aboard the stratospheric balloon were successfully released during the TP campaign in 2020. A preliminary assessment was conducted based on a case comparison between the dropsonde and radiosonde measurements, which indicated that the dropsonde technology we developed can generally provide reasonable atmospheric profiles. However, further efforts are still required to improve the detection performance of the dropsonde sensors after long-term locating in the UTLS and to assess the accuracy and precision of the detection technology more carefully.摘要为提高复杂地理环境和极端天气条件下的大气廓线探测能力, 本文自主研发了基于平流层高空气球平台的下投探空系统, 并在青藏高原开展探测评估实验.该系统主要由下投探空舱,携带降落伞的下投探空仪,下投施放装置,数据接收通讯天线和GPS模块等组成.下投探空仪测量数据通过卫星通信链路和无线电信号实时发送至数据接收机存储处理.2020年青藏高原实验中8枚下投探空仪全部成功施放, 提供了合理有效的大气廓线探测数据.后续会进一步提高下投探空仪传感器性能, 全面评估其探测准确性和精度.

Hierarchical model of information signals formation at the physical layer in FANET

Creation of reliable and efficient flying ad-hoc networks (FANET) requires detailed development of the model of the physical layer of data transmission, determined by the conditions of operation of the networks. The problems of well-known software simulators of communication networks are the simplified nature of the physical layer, as well as the inability to obtain specific analytical solutions in the process of simulation. The hierarchical model of formation of information signals which allows to represent various types of communication channels and the channel-forming equipment, for providing their analytical description and the further analysis is developed. The model allows to describe communication channels between UAVs and (or) ground control centers taking into account the effects of attenuation, intersymbol interference, multipath propagation of signals; schemes of terminal and intermediate network equipment with linear and nonlinear signal conversion; circuits with forward regulation, backward regulation and combined regulation; circuits with multi-channel signal generation and processing, as well as cross-links between channels. Analytical expressions of the transfer function of the generalized hierarchical model for an arbitrary number of disclosed levels of hierarchy are obtained. An example of the presentation and study of the UAV transmitter circuit on the basis of a hierarchical model of signal formation is considered.

Plasmakristall–4 laboratory for research of complex (dusty) plasma on the board of the International Space Station

The scientific equipment «Plasmakrystall–4» («PK–4») is designed to study complex (dusty) plasma under microgravity conditions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and is a joint project of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Roscosmos. Scientific equipment «PK–4» is integrated into «European physiological modules» (EPM) rack, in the European laboratory module Columbus. Experiment control — automated, software-interactive, or manual from an on-board laptop and/or from a terminal in the ground control center. A low-pressure direct current discharge in noble gases in a glass tube is used to create a plasma at scientific equipment «PK–4». Microparticles of a given size are injected into the discharge to obtain a complex plasma. Two digital video cameras allow to trace individual microparticles inside the tube in phase space, which makes a complex plasma to be a good model for studying classical phenomena in condensed matter at the kinetic level. To monitor the plasma conditions, an integrated spectrometer and another video camera are used allowing to observe the plasma's own emission at different wavelengths. To study the reaction of microparticles to external forces, they can be exposed to radiation from a powerful laser, a gas stream, and also to thermophoretic force, i.e., by producing a given temperature gradient. Key words: complex plasmas, microparticles, soft matter, laser manipulation, microgravity, viscosity measurements, gas discharges, plasma diagnostics.

Human Performance Analysis of Processes for Retrieving Beidou Satellite Navigation System During Breakdown.

Satellite navigation systems provide continuous, timely, and accurate signals of location, speed, and time to users all over the world. Although the running of these systems has become highly automated, the human operator is still vital for its continued operation, especially when certain equipment failures occur. In this paper, we examined 180 incidents of one particular type of equipment failure and the whole recovery process as recorded in the log files from a ground control center of the Beidou satellite navigation system. We extracted the information, including the technical description of the failure, the time when the fault occurred, the full recovery time, and the demographic information of the team members on the shift responsible for responding to the failure. We then transformed these information into the cognitive complexity of the task, time of day, shift handover period, and team skill composition. Multiple regression analysis showed that task complexity and shift handover were key predictors of recovery time. Time of day also influenced the recovery time, during midnight to 4 a.m., operators made longer responses. We also found that the fault handling processes could be improved if the team’s most adept member is more skillful at that role than in other teams. We discussed the theoretical and practical implication of this study.

An Adaptive Channel Division MAC Protocol for High Dynamic UAV Networks

Nowadays, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has captured great attentions for its versatility, flexibility, and low-cost. In this paper, we consider a high altitude platform (HAP) assisted UAV network towards Internet of Things (IoT), where high dynamic UAVs can transmit real-time IoT data to remote ground control center via the HAP. Because of the movement characteristic of UAVs, the number of UAVs within the HAP coverage and the traffic load change frequently, which poses new challenges for the Media Access Control (MAC) protocol in this network. To make full use of the channel resources and guarantee the communication performance of multiple UAVs, we firstly propose an adaptive channel division MAC (ACD-MAC) protocol for this high dynamic UAV network, where the relative length of control channel interval to service channel interval, denoted by channel allocation parameter, can be flexibly adjusted according to the number of UAVs and traffic load. Then, based on a Markov model, we give an algorithm to calculate the optimal channel allocation parameter in the proposed ACD-MAC protocol. Finally, simulation results show that the proposed ACD-MAC protocol can achieve a lower end-to-end delay and a higher throughput performance in such a high dynamic UAV network than the traditional fixed channel division MAC protocol.

Satellite-based location determination of small aircraft in case of accidents and disasters

From the moment the air/aero/aerial objects appeared the necessity of monitoring for them arose and were solved using different tools, such as radio communications, radio direction finding, radar and others. With the advent of global satellite navigation, the massive introduction of navigation equipment began in almost all areas of human activity and especially in mobile (moving) objects (cars, aircraft, ships, etc.). This allowed aircraft crews to accurately determine their coordinates in real time under any weather conditions. However, the organization of uninterrupted data transmission to ground control centers remained problematic. In this regard, aircraft monitoring systems were primarily installed on military and civil aircraft, while the other categories and types of aircraft were equipped only with communication systems. Thus, currently, there is the lack of navigation devices allowing flight monitoring and communication in small aviation. As a result, in case of emergency landing of small aircraft, it takes a lot of time and effort to find its location, therefore providing emergency assistance to passengers and crew is not possible. This problem can be solved by the system for determining the location of small aircraft using technologies of global navigation satellite systems and mobile satellite communications. This system includes devices for registering the location of the observed object, transmitting data via mobile cellular and satellite communications, processing, storage and displaying of data. The proposed system, by continuously recording and transmitting aircraft location data to the ground control center, helps minimize time and narrow the search area of the aircraft that made an emergency landing.

Design of data transmission system of human-autonomous devices for UAV inspection of transmission line status

The use of unmanned helicopters for line inspection is an important development direction for transmission line inspections. The unmanned helicopter inspection system can partially replace the line inspection workers and the manned helicopter inspection system, timely discover the faults and hidden dangers of the line, and transmit the situation on the ground to the ground control center to make correct judgments and eliminate line faults in time. The composition of the data link of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is designed as a data-code-coded code link implementation scheme based on single-chip microcomputer, which can realize the uplink remote control information, task information and management information. For multi-rotor UAVs, the load is limited, and long-distance operations are often required. In combination with people’s requirements for image quality, this paper designs a set of high-definition digital image data transmission system with small volume and low transmission delay, capturing images in real time with a high-definition camera mounted on a drone or single-player device, first convert the image to a video signal, and then transmitting the video signal to the modulation end of the microwave transmitter through compression processing, and loading the signal onto the carrier through the microwave transmitter. After being microwaved, the directional radiation is radiated to the microwave receiver of the tension tower or the drone, and the video image signal is demodulated by the microwave receiver. Sending this signal to a hard disk recorder or monitor enables unattended monitoring of the power line all day.