Drone Tracking Robot Arm

Project Overview

The goal of this project was to design and develop a Drone Tracking Robot Arm that uses computer vision to track the movement of a drone with onboard ArUco tags. The robot arm, constructed with AX-12A servos and the "Trossen" robot package, repositions itself to continuously point toward the drone. This innovation enhances the ability to record video footage of fast-moving objects efficiently and safely in various industrial and operational scenarios.

Impact

This system augments human capability by providing a safer and more efficient method to record fast-moving objects in real-time. It has applications in industrial monitoring, surveillance, and beyond.

Future Work

The Controller

• Further development of the controller is required, specifically tuning the PID gains.
• Address steady-state error by incorporating an integral term and balancing it with a derivative term to enhance response time, stability, and accuracy.

GPS Integration

• Incorporate GPS tracking to complement camera data for better results.
• The current system does not include GPS, which would provide an additional layer of accuracy and robustness.

Camera Enhancements

• Integrate optical zoom functionality to improve video quality and tracking precision.
• Leverage existing code to detect ArUco tag size and map it to the device's optical zoom for enhanced visuals.

Technical Details

• Robot Arm Components: AX-12A servos and Trossen Robotics Kit.
• Computer Vision: Used OpenCV and ArUco markers for tracking.
• Control System: Initial implementation of a PID controller for arm movement.

Conclusion

The Drone Tracking Robot Arm lays the groundwork for advanced tracking systems with potential for further optimization and real-world deployment. Enhancements such as improved controller design, GPS integration, and optical zoom will increase its applicability and effectiveness across diverse domains.