EPOC: Efficient Power Controller for Small Unmanned Air Vehicles

The increasing efficiency and versatility of small Unmanned Air Vehicles (sUAVs) make them ideal choice for numerous missions in both military and civil theater. Advancements in manufacturing miniature components are enabling the development of ever smaller UAVs that are cheaper to operate and maintain thereby making them attractive to a larger market. With increasing operational awareness as the primary metric for all combat needs the sUAVs provide cost effective and immensely configurable platform. In recent years, the research community and industry have worked towards a number of innovations in the area of propulsion systems for UAVs. One such area is hybrid power systems, specifically, Hybrid Electric Power Systems (HEPS). Crucial to realizing these benefits is a control mechanism that makes use of the available propulsion sources optimally. Intelligent Automation, Inc. (IAI), Wright State University and Textron are partnering to develop EPOC, the efficient power controller for sUAVs. Our approach incorporates developing optimal power control strategies while coupling power and flight controllers. The major emphasis is on developing robust, real-time, and failsafe techniques with unprecedented performance.