Some Notes

Choice between two methods:

• Create application (more desirable, but maybe has less capabilities in terms of creating automatic control)

• Create software from scratch (pretty much anything is possible, but it’s much more difficult)

What am I doing?

• Altering interaction between drone and client controller so that the client gives a pre-compiled list of markers/commands to follow. Previously, the client controller gave instructions for maneuvers and changes in orientation.
• Perhaps the user selects a path consisting of a number of markers, which is then sent to the drone as a list of commands.
• The commands could contain a string of goals.
• Markers have attributed locations (x,y,z).
• Locations are created in relation to an origin point (i.e. the center of the music room).
• We would compile a list of locations in relation to the origin, which is used to write the commands list.
• The drone would keep track of its position relative to the origin point.
• This "mental image” could be aided by sensory input of the external environment (i.e. the drone pauses while obstructions block the way).
• However, there is no distance sensor that faces forward.
• Mr. Lin says that the self-derived location will probably worsen over time.
• TEST: accuracy of the altimeter (the sonar sensor).
• TEST: accuracy of the accelerometer.
• TEST: orientation of the sonar distance sensor.
• ANSWER: pointed downwards, but perhaps it can be reoriented.

• The commands could be IDs which respond to physical markers.
• In this case, the markers are placed throughout the school to be followed.
• The markers may have to have recognizable ID tags, which probably would require a more sophisticated seeking function than simply finding the concentration of a certain color.
• The ID could be a series of shapes and/or colors…?

Resources

- On simultaneous localization and mapping:

  http://www.nickd.nl/dl/thesis_Nick_Dijkshoorn.pdf 

- On using openCV within the SDK to stream video from the drone to a computer: 

http://petrkout.com/linux/parrot-ardrone-2-0-video-streaming-through-opencv-in-linux/