Date of Award
3-21-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Systems Engineering
Department
Department of Systems Engineering and Management
First Advisor
John M. Colombi, PhD.
Abstract
This research improved a simulation that models a single operator responsible for multiple UAV rovers. The improvement calibrated the model by increasing the realism of its expected time that the target will be within the field of view of a UAV's camera and how much of that will be observed by an operator that has multiple tasks to perform throughout the mission. The calibration was derived from multiple flight tests, by using a Field of View Algorithm in MATLAB and by visually recording times for loiter loops by hand. It was determined that the target will be within the field of view of a UAV loitering in a circular pattern between 62% and 66% of the overall loiter time. For an 8 hour beyond line of sight mission, the model's optimal results were 145 min of Value Added Time in low wind conditions and 137 min in high wind. For an 8 hour within line of sight mission, the optimal result was 287 min in low wind conditions and 268 min in high wind.
AFIT Designator
AFIT-ENV-13-M-34
DTIC Accession Number
ADA582414
Recommended Citation
Welborn, Jonathan W., "Calibration and Extension of a Discrete Event Operations Simulation Modeling Multiple Un-Manned Aerial Vehicles Controlled by a Single Operator" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 1019.
https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/1019