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How many UAVs can the Horizon control simultaneously?
Do these UAVs share the same datalink?
What is a software in the loop simulator, and why is it important?
What is a quasi hardware in the loop simulator?
What is DEM, and how does Horizon use DEM?
How many UAVs can the Horizon control simultaneously?
There is no technical limit to the number of UAVs that can be controlled. To be practical, you probably wouldn’t want more than a dozen operating at any one time.
Do these UAVs share the same datalink?
They can both share the same datalink, or they can use separate datalinks or some combination.
What is a software in the loop simulator, and why is it important?
A software in the loop simulation is a simulation of the autopilot where the autopilot code is linked to a flight simulator and the entire system runs on a single computer. Horizon has a built-in software in the loop simulator of the MP2028, MP2128, and MP2128heli autopilots. It is important to have this capability for two reasons: First, it is extremely important for your autopilot vendor to have this capability as it is not possible to properly test autopilot software without it. Second, it provides a valuable training tool, and allows our customers to learn about Horizon and the autopilot on the ground without actually having to fly.
What is a quasi hardware in the loop simulator?
A quasi-hardware in the loop simulator is one where the autopilot software runs on the autopilot software and the simulator runs on a separate computer (usually a windows PC). Sensor data and control surface deflection information are exchanged between the autopilot and the simulator via some communications mechanism—usually a serial port or CAN bus.
The autopilot is not running exactly the same code as it would normally execute because, rather than reading values from its various sensors (gyros, accelerometers, pressure sensors), it is reading this data from the serial port/CAN bus. The result is that this type of simulation, while valuable, it is imperfect due to the fact that the communication mechanism introduces delays that wouldn’t be present in the real autopilot and because the autopilot executes different code than it does in flight.
What is a true hardware in the loop simulator and what is the difference between a quasi hardware in the loop simulator and a true hardware in the loop simulator?
A true hardware in the loop simulator is similar to the quasi hardware in the loop simulator in that the autopilot software runs on the autopilot hardware and the simulator runs on a separate PC. They differ in the way the sensor values and the control surface deflections are communicated between the autopilot and the simulator.
In the true hardware in the loop simulator, the autopilot has the sensors removed and the simulator generates sensor values using digital to analog converters connected to the autopilot. The control surface positions are read by the simulator directly from the autopilot output using a pulse width modulator (PWM) interface board in the PC (most servos for small UAVs are controlled using PWM signals).
The advantage of the true hardware in the loop simulator is that it offers the best fidelity of simulation available. There are no delays introduced by transmitting sensor values. Since the simulator generates the actual sensor signals, the autopilot software is identical to the software used in actual flight.
Camera pointing is where the autopilot holds the camera pointing at a particular location on the ground.
Fly-by camera is a mode where the autopilot fly’s towards the location where you are pointing the camera. This is useful if you are following a moving vehicle.
This is a mode when you are orbiting around a point and the autopilot keeps the center of the orbit on the position of your camera on the ground.
What is DEM, and how does Horizon use DEM?
Digital terrain elevation data (also known as DTED or DTM) is used by Horizon to:
display the safe operating range
provide a flight profile showing terrain clearance
calculate the maximum line-of-sight operating range
provide terrain conflict warnings
provide camera footprint and the center of the camera image
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