Automated Ground Operation for an Unmanned Cargo Gyrocopter

Kurzfassung

The automation of unmanned aerial vehicles allows for the automatic or semi-automatic execution of various flight tasks. However, in addition to the automation of the flight, the automation of the ground operations is a necessary step towards a fully automated unmanned aircraft. While some work already exists on procedures and the integration of unmanned aircraft into airport operations, the technical implementation of the basic automation of the ground operation is a topic that has received little attention. For this reason, this paper focuses on the technical implementation of the automation of the ground operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle before take-off and after landing. Design considerations and implementation of the automation system of the aircraft are presented and demonstrated. In addition, open technical and scientific questions that arise during the actual operation of an automated unmanned aerial vehicle are identified.