Generic Power/Propulsion Microcontroller for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

ABSTRACT: LE will look at two different next generation power/propulsion systems in Phase 1 in order to develop requirements for the generic microcontroller. The first is a hybrid fuel cell/battery hybrid power system based upon a UTRC design that LE is currently working on with UTRC for a group 3 UAS. This fuel cell hybrid system is designed to support a VTOL vehicle which has high brief periods of power consumption. LE is working on the various trades for controlling the fuel cell. Those trades include managing the hydrogen content and oxygen content in order to meet the power requirements. Different subsystems include using compressed oxygen for brief periods of high power; potentially Li battery assist for very brief periods; and cooling systems for the fuel cells and electric motor. The second will be internal combustion engines (ICE) (2 stroke)/battery hybrid power system in series with an electric motor. LE has done a literature search on both parallel (ICE driving both motor and generator for battery with electric motor for power assist) and series power/propulsion system configurations. BENEFIT: Leucadia Engineering (LE) has developed embedded hardware avionics for next generation UAS vehicle management systems (VMS). The embedded LE VMS avionics brings together a dual core ARM Cortex-A9 that is paired with the flexibility of programmable logic fabric, providing increased IO flexibility and a high precision environment for high frequency motor control. LE also implements an equally flexible layered component based software architecture utilizing an extension of the industry standard DDS middleware. The software architecture allows for new best-in-class algorithms to be easily integrated as a new component based on a well defined, open and published ICD. This hardware and software architecture has been integrated into a complete end to end UAS test process and environment from all-up software desktop simulation to a fully integrated Hardware in the Loop (HIL) test environment. These established hardware and software architectures and the integrated development and test environment provides a solid foundation for the development and manufacture of propulsion and power UAS vehicle microcontrollers.