Pteryx UAV, with the camera mounted sideways.

Pteryx UAV[1] was a Polish Miniature UAV designed for civilian use. It was manufactured and sold by Trigger Composites.[2] The machine was both a flying RC model and pre-programmed vehicle. It was awarded the Innowator Podkarpacia medal for innovative design in the category of micro-enterprises of the Podkarpacie region in 2010.[3]

Origin

The Pteryx UAV uses a custom derivation of the FLEXIPILOT software, designed by Aerial Robotics engineering group[4] for photomapping purposes and civilian use.

The avionics and flying platform are capable of full operational capability without using an active transmitter or ground station.

Capabilities

Digital Surface Model of a motorway interchange construction site.
Bezmiechowa airfield 3D Digital Surface Model
4.5km2 ortophotomap extracted from data collected during 1h flight
  • Delivering data for precision agriculture obtaining surface maps using mosaicking software
  • Construction site and long-range linear mapping (up to around 40 km both ways with 2h flight time, reserve included)[6]
  • Carrying custom research equipment

The camera mount contains either pre-installed compact digital camera, or can be exchanged for other equipment.

The camera can be mounted down-looking (nadir photography) or side-looking (oblique photography).

The whole head can be tilted in flight using the RC transmitter, while reducing stabilization travel to one of the sides.

Features

Features included are:

  • Flying multiple missions per day without reprogramming the autopilot (the waypoints being selected by mission selector and evaluated relative to takeoff)
  • Exchangeable mission package
  • Single button operation
  • Fully enclosed camera head
  • Ability to accommodate a weight range 200g-1000g
  • takeoff by a bungee-assisted catapult
  • Landing through use of a parachute

Precision

(manufacturer's data)

The aircraft provides positions of the photos taken; more than 8000 events can be recorded. Ground-projected positions include the following errors:

  • GPS position error up to 5m.
  • Altitude drift (up to 5m per 1 hour of flight)
  • Camera head stabilization precision (transients up to 5°)
  • Fuselage pitch due to turbulence (up to 8° during hot weather, typically 2° in winter)
  • Camera mounting error (typically 1–4° if not calibrated)
  • Heading/yaw error (the aircraft performs crabbing in presence of wind)

Typical orthophoto map precision (mean reprojection errors):

  • 10 cm horizontal
  • 30 cm vertical
  • around 2.5m global shift to be removed with a few locally measured points

Data processing strategies

Several data processing approaches are possible depending on application:

  • Direct photo examination
  • Non-georeferenced image stitching using free software
  • Using free 3D modelling services, as mentioned in examples section
  • Importing each photo as ground overlay in Google Earth (semi-automatic with supplied software)
  • Using pre-paid service based on cloud computing, yielding a result in hours (delivers Orto photomap and optionally DSM)
  • Local processing using specialized GIS software created specifically for large scale image mosaicking (delivers Orto photomap and optionally DSM)

Aircraft components

  • Fuselage
  • 3-section wings with mounting screws
  • Horizontal stabilizer section
  • Parachute

Other required equipment

General characteristics

Masses:

Dimensions:[7][8]

V speeds:

  • VC: around 50 km/h
  • VS: 34–38 km/h depending on TOW
  • VA: 120 km/h
  • VNE: 160 km/h

Flight altitude:

Handling:

References

  1. "Pteryx UAV". Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. "Our products - Samolot bezzałogowy Pteryx" [Our products - Pteryx unmanned aircraft]. www.t-cs.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  3. Olejnik, Marta (12 December 2010). "Innowator PodkarPacIa 2010 XII Podkarpackie Forum Innowacyjności" [Innovator of Podkarpacie 2010 XII Podkarpackie Innovation Forum] (PDF). Gazeta Politechniki [The University of Technology newspaper] (in Polish). No. 204. Rzeszów University of Technology. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  4. "Pteryx UAV". www6.aerialrobotics.eu. Archived from the original on 10 September 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  5. "Bezmiechowa 3D digital elevation model (AerialRobotics and CMP SfM Web Service)". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  6. Motorway mapping mission (YouTube video)
  7. "Pteryx UAV dimensions" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  8. "Pteryx UAV - Camera Head dimensions" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
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