Operations Manual
Version 3.0.0
Doc#: 100-100
www.uavvision.com
Revision History
Version
Date
Page Number
Change Description
3.0.0
2.0.0
1.1.3
19/01/2015
22/05/13
All
NA
1.1.2
14/05/13
All
1.1.1
09/05/13
All
1.1.0
25/07/12
Various
1.0.0
Not recorded
NA
Significant Changes
Version Skipped
Document Number changed.
Reformatted; fixed spelling error; Warnings and Important Notes highlighted
in red
Document name, title changed, footer updated, page iii deleted, front section
reformatted
Grammatical changes, USB key supplied instead of DVD, continuous PAN
denoted, ambient temperature range adjusted, added Important Notes
regarding temperatures and IR Sensor performance
First release.
You are required to read this manual thoroughly and pay attention to voltages and mounting
instructions.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transcribed, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, without the prior written permission of UAV Vision.
The information in this manual is subject to change without notice and, except for the warranty, does
not represent a commitment on the part of UAV Vision. UAV Vision cannot be held liable for any
mistakes in this manual and reserves the right to make changes.
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Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.1.
8.2.
1.2.
8.3.
IR Freeze Frame........................... 14
1.3.
8.4.
1.4.
8.5.
Video Resolution........................... 15
9.
2.1.
9.1.
2.2.
9.2.
2.3.
9.3.
On Board Snapshots..................... 17
9.4.
Object Tracking............................. 17
9.5.
9.6.
3.1.
4.
8.1.
4.1.
9.7.
Recording ..................................... 20
4.2.
9.8.
4.3.
IP Address ...................................... 8
5.1.
5.2.
Stow................................................ 9
5.3.
Limits ............................................ 10
5.4.
6.1.
6.2.
6.3.
12. Contact.................................................... 25
7.2.
Focus ............................................ 12
7.3.
Exposure....................................... 12
7.4.
7.5.
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1. Gimbal Specifications
The following specifications throughout this document are compatible with CM100 v3.0 and above.
For more information regarding previous versions, please contact UAV Vision.
Figure 1 - CM100 V3
Specification
Gross Weight (without Sensors)
650g
Dimensions
Temperature
Slew Rate
105/sec (1.83rad/s)
Mechanical Axis
Position Accuracy
Pan Movement
360 Continuous
Tilt Movement
+130 ,- 112
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IP Rating
IP63
200 Knots
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Parameter
Input Voltage
Power @12V
Start Up Power*
Parameter
Reverse Polarity Protection
Communications
Video
Typ.
Units
9 - 36
V
2.4
W
6
W
Description
Internal protection (Reverse Polarity > 200ms Internally Clamped)
RS232 Serial, Network
Encoded Ethernet (h.264 or M-JPEG), SD Analog (NTSC or PAL)
Pin
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Function
VCC 9 36 V
VCC 9 36 V
GND
GND
Control Serial In
Control Serial Out
AHRS Serial In
AHRS Serial Out
RxComponent Y/Yg
Pin
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
(RS232)
(RS232)
(RS232)
(RS232)
(Network)
Function
Component Pr
GND
Rx+
(Network)
VCC 9 36 V
TX(Network)
Not Used
Video 1 (EO)
Component Pb
Tx+
(Network)
Interface
Video Interface
Control Interface
Local Recording
On-Board Snapshots
Video Output
Features
Object Tracking
Motion Detection
Electronic Stabilization
H.264 compression
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Sensors
Sensor 1
EO DISC120R
Sensor 1 Zoom
30x Continuous
Sensor 1 Res
1280x720
Sensor 1 FOV ()
Sensor 2
IR - Quark 336
IR - Quark 640
Sensor 2 Zoom
2x , 4x
2x, 4x, 8x
Sensor 2 Res
336x256
640x512
Sensor 2 FOV ()
16x13
32x26
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Symbol
Characteristic
Min
Typical
Max
Unit
VCC Supply
VCC Supply
Temperature
9
4
0
18
4
25
36
50
V
A
C
Important Notes
When operating the gimbal continuously in ambient temperatures of over 40C, the gimbal must
have airflow after two (2) hours to keep the IR Sensor performing at its optimum.
Constant direct sunlight for extended periods of time, will affect the performance of the IR sensor
and should be avoided when possible.
With prolonged usage, the image displayed from the IR sensor may deteriorate. Performing a Flat
Field Correction (FFC) will restore the image, and can be commanded manually via command line
using the UAV Vision protocol.
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4. Gimbal Communication
The gimbal contains a serial RS232 and Ethernet interfaces.
Parameter
Baud
Data Bits
Parity Bits
Stop Bits
Flow Control
Value
115200
8
None
1
None
Parameter
Transport Layer
Inbound Port
Reply Port
Value
UDP
18001
18002
The gimbal will listen for commands on the inbound port and send replies to the reply port.
4.3. IP Address
The CM100 has a static IP address that is assigned during the gimbal manufacturing process.
The default shipped settings are:
Range 192.168.0.100-254
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Gateway 192.168.1.0
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5. Gimbal Configuration
5.1. Initialization Sequence
The CM100 performs an initialization sequence on powering up or, if auto initialization (formerly
auto boot) is disabled, when commanded to. The initialization sequence involves the gimbal moving
in pan and tilt to find its position on each axis before moving to its stow position. Gyro stabilization
is enabled following the stow position being reached.
The default stow position that the CM100 is shipped with is:
Pan = 0 degrees
Tilt = 0 degrees
During the course of operation, the gimbal stow position can be modified in both the Pan and Tilt
axis. If changed these new settings will be the position the gimbal drives to once the initialization
sequence is complete.
Please note that movement to the gimbal stow position occurs at a high speed. The gimbal should
only be initialized if it is fixed to a solid platform
Gimbal movement commands may be sent to the gimbal once the initialization sequence is
complete. Gimbal movement commands received before or during initialization will be ignored.
5.2. Stow
The CM100 can be commanded to drive to a stow position either for storage, launch, or landing.
The unit is shipped with a default stow position but this can be changed using the Gimbal Control
Panel software.
The unit moves to the stow position after completing the initialization sequence described in section
5.1.
Gimbal movement commands, object tracking and GEO-Lock commands are ignored while stowed.
5.2.1
Auto Stow
Gimbal Firmware 3.4 introduced Auto Stow where the gimbal will move to the gimbal stow position if
a valid gimbal protocol packet has not been received within the timeout period. This function can be
used on UAVs which can land on their own when communications with the Ground Control Station
have been lost.
By default, Auto Stowing is disabled.
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5.3. Limits
The movement limits can be sent to prevent the gimbal moving past a particular position, for
example because of a mechanical constraint near where the gimbal is mounted. Each axis has two
limits which determine the out of bounds region which the gimbal is not allowed to enter.
The gimbal will stop moving when it reaches either limit. Figure 7 shows the limits on the tilt axis.
The blue arc shows the region where the gimbal can be moved in tilt, and the red arc shows the
region on the tilt axis where the gimbal cannot be positioned. The pan limits operate in a similar
manner on the pan axis. Unlike the Tilt axis, the pan axis is able to continuously rotate. Continuous
rotation is set when both pan limits are equal.
Figure 7 shows the tilt axis positioned at 0 degrees tilt. The blue arc shows the allowable positions
the gimbal can be moved and the red arc shows the out of bounds region the gimbal will not be able
to be moved to given the current tilt limits.
By default the movement limits are:
Table 9 - Pan and Tilt Limits
Axis
Pan
Tilt
Upper
Lower
Continuous rotation
130
112
Pro Tip: Movement limits can be configured using the Gimbal Control Panel.
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7. EO Camera Controls
The UAV Vision control protocol allows all of the features provided by the Hitachi DISC120R sensor
to be controlled by the user to achieve the best possible image. These features are individually
discussed in the following section.
7.2. Focus
The CM100 is set to Auto Focus as default, although on occasion manual focus may be required.
Pro Tip: If looking backwards and an undercarriage leg is in view, the camera will focus on the
leg rather than the distance or point of interest. In this case manual focus can be used to focus
past the leg making it almost invisible.
The best method to achieve this is to point the CM100 away from the disturbing object, and
focus on the point of interest. At this point, set the CM100 to manual focus, then return the frame
to the previous position. You will notice the previously disturbing object will no longer effect the
focus
Pro Tip: If operating at a constant altitude, zoom in to an object and let the camera focus, press
manual focus and zoom out. Now everything at that distance will be in focus and the user will be
able to zoom in and out while keeping focus.
Alternatively the focus can be set to infinity when looking at an object that is over 10m away.
7.3. Exposure
The default setting for the CM100 is Auto-Exposure, however during operation, differences in
lighting conditions may cause poor image visibility. This can be overcome by switching auto
exposure off, which will then provide manual control of the Iris, Shutter and Gain.
If experiencing difficulties such as under or over exposure, enabling one or all of the following
settings will allow the user to manually adjust the sensor to provide better image quality.
Pro Tip: Prior to entering any of the following Manual Modes, practice and note the effects that
each has on the image quality to avoid missing the capture of vital data when operating during a
mission.
7.3.1
When Auto Exposure is enabled (Enabled by default) the camera will automatically select Gain,
Shutter Speed and Iris (f-stop) values. When Auto Exposure is disabled, the camera is in Full
Manual Mode and the operator is responsible for setting Iris, Shutter Speed and Gains.
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7.3.2
Opening the Iris lets more light into the camera increasing the exposure of the image. The Iris
priority mode allows the Iris to be set manually but allows the camera to automatically select Gain
and Shutter Speed values.
The Iris can also be controlled in Full Manual Mode when Auto exposure is disabled.
7.3.3
When the Shutter priority mode is enabled, the Shutter Speed can be manually controlled, however
the Iris and Gain controls will still be automatic.
Shutter Speed can also be controlled in Full Manual Mode.
User Tip: A faster Shutter Speed produces a sharper image of objects moving in the frame.
However, increasing the Shutter Speed allows less light through the aperture producing a darker
image.
7.3.4
The Camera Gain can be set manually only if the Auto Exposure Control is disabled. Increasing the
gain artificially creates a brighter image.
Pro Tip: When manually adjusting the Camera Gain Set. The higher the gain the worse the
picture quality.
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8. IR Camera Controls
The CM100 can be fitted with a FLIR IR sensor for which a select number of commands have been
implemented in the UAV Vision protocol. These commands are listed in the following section:
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9. Video Processor
The CM100 contains an internal video processor which stabilizes, object tracks, encodes video,
takes snapshots and streams video.
The video frame size streamed and recorded is 720 x 574 when the IR sensor is set to PAL and 640
x 480 when the IR sensor is set to NTSC. The EO video feed is a windowed version of a 1280 x
720 frame received from the EO sensor.
Video can be streamed over the network and output through the analog channel simultaneously.
The frame rate is nominal 30 frames per second (fps) for NTSC inputs and 25fps for PAL inputs
however processor load can lower the output frame rate.
The video processor accepts both the EO and IR video sources but can only work on one video
source at a time. The active video source will be the video source which all video processor
operations are applied to.
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Source Type
EO Source
IR Source
Image Size
1280x720
720x576 or 640x480
(depending on sensor output resolution)
File names are set internally and contain a time stamp. The file naming convention is:
YYYYMMDD_HHmmssf.ts
YYYY is the year
MM is the month
DD is the day
HH is the hour in 24 hour time
mm is the minute
ss is the second
f is a letter place holder.
The time stamp is in UTC +00:00.
Pro Tip: When engaging Object Tracking, GEO-Lock will be disabled. Similarly, when GEOLock is enabled, Object Tracking will be disabled.
Pro Tip: Best results are achieved when the object being tracked clearly stands out from objects
in the background.
Object tracking has different parameters which affect the quality of an Object Track:
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9.4.1
Acquisition Size
The Acquisition Size determines the size of the object which will be tracked when a new track is
started.
The acquisition size should be set to the expected size of the object which will be tracked so that
the object fits inside the bounding box without too much background. The acquisition size can be
changed after a track has been made and the object will be reacquired using the new acquisition
size.
Pro Tip: To start tracking moving objects position the gimbal crosshairs in front of the object and
begin tracking when the object moves through the cross hairs.
9.4.2
Tracking Mode
There are different profiles which are best suited for tracking different objects, there are:
Moving - for tracking moving objects such as people and cars.
Stationary - for tracking stationary targets such as a window
Scene - Scene lock tracks an entire scene. The gimbal will move to keep the center of the
scene in frame.
9.4.3
Stabilize on Track
When Stabilize on Track is active, if the tracked object in the center of frame moves, the frame will
move to remove disturbances. This mode is only active when electronic stabilization is active and
provides the most stable footage possible.
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9.7. Recording
Video is recorded onto an internal microSD card. The video is recorded to a .ts file and is identical
to the network streamed video.
File names are set internally and contain a time stamp. The file naming convention is:
YYYYMMDD_HHmmssf.ts
YYYY is the year
MM is the month
DD is the day
HH is the hour in 24 hour time
mm is the minute
ss is the second
f is a letter place holder.
The time stamp is in UTC +00:00.
Snapshots and video recordings can be accessed using an SCP client and copied over a network
connection.
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10. Geo-Referencing
Geo-Referencing allows the geographic position of the gimbals boresight to be calculated based on
the platforms position, orientation, camera parameters, the gimbals angles and a digital elevation
model.
10.2. GEO-Lock
GEO-Lock uses the output of the Geo-Referencing engine to steer the gimbal so that a desired
target location is kept in the center of frame.
GEO-Lock can commence by using the location of the gimbal, its current point, or by supplying a
new target location in which case the gimbal will move as best it can to position the new target
location in the center of frame.
If GEO-Lock is started with the gimbal looking above the horizon, the gimbal will tilt down at 10
degrees per second until a valid Geo-Reference is made before commencing GEO-Lock control.
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10.3. Offsets
10.3.1 Misalignment Offsets
The Geo-Reference engine receives information on platform position and orientation from an
external GNSS device. In order for Geo-Referencing to be as accurate as possible, the GNSS
should be aligned with the platforms axis. Any rotation away from the platforms axis can be
corrected by setting the misalignment matrix of the GNSS through the gimbal. Please refer to
Section 5 of document UV600-100.
10.3.2 GNSS Antenna Offset
The Antenna Offset is the distance of the GNSS antenna to the GNSS device along the
misalignment corrected axis of the GNSS Device. Setting the GNSS increases the accuracy of the
GNSS Positioning estimate.
10.3.3 Gimbal Offsets
The gimbal should also be aligned with the platforms axis. An offset to the pan angle should be
applied to the gimbal such that when the gimbal is at pan position 0 degrees it is facing to the front
of the platform.
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10.5. Configuration
The GNSS can be configured through the gimbal for different vehicle types.
Vehicle types:
Unconstrained
Car
Fixed wing
3D aircraft
Car
Hovercraft
Stationary
The ranges of the accelerometers, gyroscope and magnetometer can be changed. The range of
accelerometers should be changed if the GNSS is subject to high amplitude high frequency
vibrations.
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12. Contact
UAV Vision strongly believes in supporting customers throughout the product lifecycle and we
encourage open and regular feedback regarding our products and services.
Alternatively,
We can be contacted via telephone during Australian business hours at +61 (0) 265 811 994, or
outside of business hours if scheduled previously.
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