Development of a High Integrity Airborne Navigation Sensor for Aviation Communities using Terrestrial Based Infrastructure. The widespread adoption of GPS for aviation, which will allow safer and cheaper air-travel, is hindered by the lack of integrity (truth) information in the system. This research will develop new methodologies, based on low-cost MEMS sensors, to improve the integrity availability of the GPS when augmented with the Ground-based Regional GPS Augmentation System (GRAS). These m ....Development of a High Integrity Airborne Navigation Sensor for Aviation Communities using Terrestrial Based Infrastructure. The widespread adoption of GPS for aviation, which will allow safer and cheaper air-travel, is hindered by the lack of integrity (truth) information in the system. This research will develop new methodologies, based on low-cost MEMS sensors, to improve the integrity availability of the GPS when augmented with the Ground-based Regional GPS Augmentation System (GRAS). These methodologies will be used in the development of next generation airborne navigation sensors. The work builds on the world-leading position that Airservices Australia has made in the development of the GRAS, the navigation expertise of GPSat Systems and the GPS expertise of the QUT.Read moreRead less
A New Parallel Robot with breakthrough performance for Manufacturing of Aerospace Components - kinematic and dynamic synthesis, design optimisation and prototyping. The Gantry-Tau is a new parallel type robot manipulator that will have the large workspace benefit of traditional Gantry robots in addition to stiffness and accuracy benefits well beyond the capabilities of existing robots. Preliminary results have shown that the Gantry-Tau can become the most accurate Gantry manipulator to date, wit ....A New Parallel Robot with breakthrough performance for Manufacturing of Aerospace Components - kinematic and dynamic synthesis, design optimisation and prototyping. The Gantry-Tau is a new parallel type robot manipulator that will have the large workspace benefit of traditional Gantry robots in addition to stiffness and accuracy benefits well beyond the capabilities of existing robots. Preliminary results have shown that the Gantry-Tau can become the most accurate Gantry manipulator to date, with the potential of competing with dedicated machines in the manufacturing industry. The expected project outcome is a working prototype of the Gantry-Tau demonstrating machining performance on aerospace components, publications in high-ranked conferences and journals and several patent applications.Read moreRead less
Development of large scale expansion tubes. The aim of this proposal is to develop a high Mach number scramjet simulation capability by modifying the X3 superorbital expansion tube at UQ for high suborbital operation at very high total pressures. This will enable Australia to do true Mach number simulation at higher speeds than is possible anywhere else, and mantain an international advantage in the development of scramjet flight propulsion. It will also put Australian researchers in a strong p ....Development of large scale expansion tubes. The aim of this proposal is to develop a high Mach number scramjet simulation capability by modifying the X3 superorbital expansion tube at UQ for high suborbital operation at very high total pressures. This will enable Australia to do true Mach number simulation at higher speeds than is possible anywhere else, and mantain an international advantage in the development of scramjet flight propulsion. It will also put Australian researchers in a strong position to participate in the next generation of US ground testing facilities, foreshadowed by the recent NASA purchase of a large shock tunnel driver. It will enable Australia to maintain a position of leadership in the development of new space travel concepts.Read moreRead less
Skycontrol 2: Long-range positioning of aircraft using multibase GPS and INS. This extends our ARC linkage project (LP0347509) by one year, where we developed and tested a long-range airborne GPS (global positioning system) using a network of ground-based receivers. While the original objectives have been met, and exceeded in some instances, we have now identified the real need to use complementary positional information from INS (inertial navigation systems). As well as reducing the cost of ai ....Skycontrol 2: Long-range positioning of aircraft using multibase GPS and INS. This extends our ARC linkage project (LP0347509) by one year, where we developed and tested a long-range airborne GPS (global positioning system) using a network of ground-based receivers. While the original objectives have been met, and exceeded in some instances, we have now identified the real need to use complementary positional information from INS (inertial navigation systems). As well as reducing the cost of airborne mapping surveys in Australia, our SkyControl2 system will have the added benefit of increased accuracy and reliability.Read moreRead less
A system for long-range positioning of airborne mapping sensors using a multi-receiver, Internet-compatible GPS network. This project will research, develop and test a GPS-network-based system, SkyControl, for the accurate coordination of airborne mapping sensors. A ground network of GPS receivers will be established and the aircraft positioned at long ranges (100 km) using a network solution, as opposed to the single-baseline solutions used at present. The GPS data from the ground network wil ....A system for long-range positioning of airborne mapping sensors using a multi-receiver, Internet-compatible GPS network. This project will research, develop and test a GPS-network-based system, SkyControl, for the accurate coordination of airborne mapping sensors. A ground network of GPS receivers will be established and the aircraft positioned at long ranges (100 km) using a network solution, as opposed to the single-baseline solutions used at present. The GPS data from the ground network will be transferred to a central location via the Internet and stored in an intelligent database so as to allow efficient data management and processing. This approach will ultimately reduce the cost and increase the reliability of airborne surveys in Australia and overseas.Read moreRead less
Vision Based Guidance, Navigation and Control of a Tail-Sitter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The development of a high precision visual guidance system for vertical takeoff and landing UAVs will significantly enhance their operational effectiveness by allowing them to land accurately on the back of small vessels or in confined clearings. Together with the extra navigation-system redundancy vis-a-vis GPS system failure and the ability to self-identify reasonable emergency landing sites, the proposed v ....Vision Based Guidance, Navigation and Control of a Tail-Sitter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The development of a high precision visual guidance system for vertical takeoff and landing UAVs will significantly enhance their operational effectiveness by allowing them to land accurately on the back of small vessels or in confined clearings. Together with the extra navigation-system redundancy vis-a-vis GPS system failure and the ability to self-identify reasonable emergency landing sites, the proposed vision-based system represents a significant capability improvement over what is currently available. It will thus enhance the ability of defence and civil-defence units to patrol Australian borders effectively and to react to threats. It will also have significant export potential to allied nations.Read moreRead less
Application of Knowledge-Based Engineering (KBE) Technology to Intelligent Design Engineering Systems. Knowledge Based Engineering (KBE) is a systematic approach to the integration of design and manufacturing of products and their related processes, from concept to disposal. Typical for KBE applications is that it accepts design rules and procedures. This makes the design process more efficient, which reduces development cost and product lead time. It also enables knowledge and experience to be ....Application of Knowledge-Based Engineering (KBE) Technology to Intelligent Design Engineering Systems. Knowledge Based Engineering (KBE) is a systematic approach to the integration of design and manufacturing of products and their related processes, from concept to disposal. Typical for KBE applications is that it accepts design rules and procedures. This makes the design process more efficient, which reduces development cost and product lead time. It also enables knowledge and experience to be captured and retained which reduces training cost and makes new staff more effective. The aim of the project is to develop a KBE environment for wire and conduit routing through complex structures and verify the benefits in an industry environment.Read moreRead less
Intelligent Design Advisor for Manufacturing Process Knowledge within Concurrent Engineering in the Aerospace Industry. At present the design of engineering components in the aerospace industry is accomplished by experts from design and manufacturing either sequentially or in collaboration. If performed in sequence then time and quality is jeopardised. If performed in collaboration then more manpower than is necessary is expended. The aim of this project is to develop an intelligent design advis ....Intelligent Design Advisor for Manufacturing Process Knowledge within Concurrent Engineering in the Aerospace Industry. At present the design of engineering components in the aerospace industry is accomplished by experts from design and manufacturing either sequentially or in collaboration. If performed in sequence then time and quality is jeopardised. If performed in collaboration then more manpower than is necessary is expended. The aim of this project is to develop an intelligent design advisor for Manufacturing Process Knowledge that will provide this expert knowledge to the design engineer in order to speed up the design process while reducing costs and still maintaining the high standard of quality necessary in the Aerospace industry.Read moreRead less
Locating Interference to GPS: Protecting the World's Aircraft Landing Systems. GRAS is an enormous initiative that is expected to generate billions of dollars in exports for Australia. The equipment developed in this project will protect the system from radio frequency interference. It thus protects these exports, and creates a new exportable product. By protecting this system, it makes air travel safer both in Australia and in the countries that buy this Australian technology.
Tools and techniques for cost effective creation of new, reliable and efficient microwave transistors for millimetre wave and wireless applications. Shifting the circuit design paradigm to the requirements of a circuit will provide a low-cost design solution for application with tight size, performance and lifetime constraints. This will enhance the international competitiveness of Mimix Broadband in the microwave wireless, aerospace, and radar markets, which will contribute to Australia's high ....Tools and techniques for cost effective creation of new, reliable and efficient microwave transistors for millimetre wave and wireless applications. Shifting the circuit design paradigm to the requirements of a circuit will provide a low-cost design solution for application with tight size, performance and lifetime constraints. This will enhance the international competitiveness of Mimix Broadband in the microwave wireless, aerospace, and radar markets, which will contribute to Australia's high performance circuit design sector. New knowledge and skilled researchers provided by this project will foster growth of the microwave and wireless industry. The local research community will be advantaged in international reputation and in its efforts to develop future high performance wireless systems.Read moreRead less