Android Controlled Quadcopter

Android Controlled Quadcopter with Tachogenerator and Camera for Surveillance

There has been a lot of discussion and studies about robots. Robots have many used but
have only one purpose; to help humans in different purposes such as making work easier.
According to McComb(2001), the word robot Is commonly defined as a mechanical
device of performing human task, or behaving in a human like manner. But for the robot
experimenter, it has different meaning. A robot is a special brew of motors, solenoids, wires, and
assorted electronic odds and ends, a marriage of mechanical and electronic gizmos.
According to Appin Knowledge Solutions (2007), robots are the next level in evolution
rather we can call it revolution. A brief history of robotics was discussed. The first person to use
the word robot was not a scientist, but playwright. Czechoslovakian writer Karl Capek first use
the word robot in his satirical play (Rossums Universal Robot). As time passes by, several
applications were made using robots. It is used during World War II in artificial sensing and
autonomous control. Other applications are calculators and computers in 1946, industrial
strength arms in space, surgical tools, hazardous duties and entertainments until now. Also,
according to them, there are different classifications of robots. These are the robotic arms,
wheeled mobile robots, legged robots, underwater robots, flying robots, and artificial
intelligence. This study focuses on flying robots. Flying robots have been used effectively in
military maneuvers, and often mimic the movements of insects. The autopilot can control the
plane for each stage of the journey including take off, normal flight, and even landing.
One type of flying robots is quadcopter. Quadcopter is a multirotor helicopter that is
lifted and propelled by four rotors and classified as rotorcraft, as opposed to fixed-wing aircraft,
because their lift is generated by a set of revolving narrow-chord airfoils (Hoffman, Rajnarayan,
Waslander, Dostal, Jang, and Tomlin, 2004, p.12). Quadcopter uses remote control rotor as flight
control. Each rotor produces both a thrust and torque about its center of rotation, as well as a
drag force opposite to the vehicles direction of flight (Hoffman, Huang, Waslander, and Tomlin,
2007).
Alternative control device can be used to flight a Quadcopter. Instead of using a remote
control rotor, a developed and most common software or Operating System can be used. This OS
is the Android Application using Smart Phones. Android can used by many people and some of
them are focusing in building new applications, games or any android services. But more than
this, android can be combined with microprocessor (Arduino) to control Quadcopter.
A study was made using android phone as a Quadcopter pilot. The idea came from the
fact that smart phones now feature a lot of nice component useful for a drone. It contains sensors
such as accelerometer, gyrometer, magnetometer, barometer, and GPS. Also, it uses wireless
communication (Wifi and 3G), two cameras, and a powerful quad-core processor
(unmannedtech, October 28,2013).
Another study entitled Controlling a Robot Using Android Interface and Voice was
conducted at Turku University of Applied Sciences which uses MIT App Inventor and electronic
circuit design in making robots using a motor driver shield and Bluetooth modem. This allows
not only to control robot using android but also to receive voice commands (Bachelors Thesis,
2012)
In this study, the researchers will improve the previous studies that were conducted.
Researchers will also use android in controlling the quadcopter but with tachogenerator. The
purpose is to charge the battery of the quadcopter. It will be used as source of energy and at the
same time, has a camera to use for monitoring and surveillance.
The problem in these study are:
There are many surveillance cameras in the world but it would be better if the surveillance is not
static but mobile. (To make the battery last longer, a tachogenerator will be inserted to its
propellers, so that the rotation of the propellers will be converted into electrical energy.)
Objectives of the study
To create a flying robot manually controlled and do surveillance to wherever they want. To make
this quadcopter robot be able to be a static or mobile surveillance.
Scope and Limitation
Significance of the study
Robots make our life easier. With this quadcopter robot, we could check on high places using
only your android phone and the quadcopter robot. You could also use it as surveillance. Make it
stationary for quiet surveillance.





References:
Hoffman, G.M. ; Rajnarayan, D.G., Waslander, S.L., Dostal, D., Jang, J.S., and Tomlin, C.J.
(November 2004) The Standard Testbed of Autonomous Rotorcraft for Multi Agent Control
(STARMAC) Salt Lake City, UT. pp. 12.E.4/1-10
Hoffman, G.; Huang, H., Waslander, S.L., Tomlin, C.J. (August 2007) Quadrotor
Helicopter Flight Dynamics and Control: Theory and Experiment Hilton Head, South Carolina
Unmannedtech. October 29, 2013.Use Your Android Phone as a Quadrature Autopilot.
Retrieved July 8,2014. http://www.dronetest.com/t/use-your-android-phone-as-a-quadcopter-
autopilot/70.
Kishan. n.d. Controlling a Robot Using Android Interface and Voice. Retrieved July 8,
2014.
http://www.thesus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/52398/Kishan_Bachelor_Thesis_2012.pdf?sequenc
e=1
McComb, Gordon. (2001) The Robot Builders Bonanza pp. IX
Appin Knowledge Solutions (2007) Robotics pp. 2-10, 16-19.