ENAC UAV Laboratory
From Paparazzi
{{#if: |[[image:{{{logo}}}|21px]] | }}The Laboratory
The UAV laboratory involves research into many fields: communication, navigation, surveillance systems, simulation, optimization, air transport, system engineering, HMI, controls, applied mathematics and also traffic regulation.
The UAV team is also interested, with the cooperation of the French Regulator, by the regulation aspects. Until now, UAVs flew in segregated airspace. How could they be integrated in civil traffic ?
{{#if: |[[image:{{{logo}}}|21px]] | }}The Paparazzi Project
The UAV laboratory has developed a complete UAV system named Paparazzi. This project is born, five years ago, from a will to build a cheap fixed wing autonomous MAV (Micro air Vehicle). The Paparazzi system includes the airborne autopilot, the downlink and uplink channels and a multi aircraft ground monitoring station. The system is highly configurable and proposes a rich flight plan language. The source code, schematics and documentation of the Paparazzi system are released under the GPL license.
The main station of this system provides the following functions:
- simulation to prepare flights and navigation before flight;
- supervision of operations during real flights;
- recording and replaying real flights after operation for analysis.
Paparazzi UAV may carry on board different sensors like video channels or chemical sensors. UAV and main control station are also linked via data link allowing complete control and survey of the flight, such as recording and monitoring of all information captured by the different sensors.
{{#if: |[[image:{{{logo}}}|21px]] | }}Success Story
Today several hundred of hours have shown that Paparazzi is robust and reliable. Several teams in the world are using this autopilot. This cheap, light, simple MAV autopilot has won several competitions :
- MAV07, Toulouse, France :
The ENAC team took the first place (tie) while the 3rd, 4th and 5th were Paparazzi teams.
- MAV06, Sandestin, Florida :
Five Paparazzi teams were in the six first places;
- EMAV06, Braunschweig, Germany :
Four Paparazzi teams were in the four first places;
- MAV05, Garmisch, Germany :
Three Paparazzi teams were in the three first places;
- JMD04, Toulouse, France :
Paparazzi took the first place with the Microjet;
- EMAV04, Braunscheweig, Germany :
Paparazzi took the first place with a Microjet (0.65cm, 0.4kg)
- JMD03, Toulouse, France :
Paparazzi took the first place with a Twinstar (1.4m, 1.4kg)
