Virtual Flight Computer for UAV Software Development
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Solution Overview
Problem
The development of Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle (UAV) software is inefficient due to the need to redevelop Operational Flight Program (OFP) and Closed Loop Simulation from scratch, leading to high costs, schedule delays, and lower quality products, as traditional methods require specialized hardware and sequential access to limited flight computer resources.
Innovation Solution
A software development system using object-based architecture with component objects and connection objects to simulate and test UAV systems, allowing for parallel development and testing independent of flight hardware, with a dispatch manager controlling data flow and timing through a topological sort, enabling reusable components and decoupling from target hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sequential development method is used with limited hot bench resources, then hardware validation can be performed, but schedule delays occur due to developers waiting for access to flight computers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of flight computer hardware through virtualization technology. Virtual flight computers are instantiated on standard servers, allowing multiple developers to simultaneously access and validate software without competing for physical hardware. This copying approach maintains hardware validation capability while eliminating the bottleneck of limited hot bench resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtualization layer as an intermediary between developers and physical flight computers. This intermediary layer provides virtual flight computer instances that mediate access requests, allowing parallel development and validation activities while the physical hardware remains unchanged. The virtualization intermediary enables time-efficient development without compromising hardware validation reliability.
2Reliability
If specialized hardware and development tools are delivered before software testing, then proper testing environment is established, but artificial obstacles are created in the development process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual replicas of the flight computer testing environment using virtualization. These virtual environments replicate the hardware-software interface and operational characteristics without requiring physical hardware delivery. Developers can establish complete testing environments on standard infrastructure, eliminating the prerequisite dependency on specialized hardware delivery while maintaining testing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary software development and testing actions to be performed in virtual environments before physical hardware is available. Virtual flight computer instances are prepared in advance on standard servers, allowing developers to conduct validation activities early in the development cycle without waiting for hardware delivery, thus removing artificial obstacles from the process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If OFP is redeveloped from scratch for each UAV program, then specific program requirements are met, but software reuse is minimized leading to higher costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the Operational Flight Program into reusable software components and modules that can be independently developed, validated, and assembled. Virtual flight computer environments enable these segmented components to be developed in parallel and integrated systematically. This segmentation allows core software to be reused across different UAV programs while only program-specific portions need redevelopment, reducing overall development costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal software components and virtualized testing environments that can serve multiple UAV programs. The virtual flight computer infrastructure provides a universal platform for validating different software versions and configurations across various UAV types. This universality enables software reuse while maintaining adaptability to program-specific requirements through configurable virtual environments.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of developing software comprises the steps of defining a plurality of component objects for receiving input data and producing output data, defining a plurality of connection objects for passing data between the component objects, and executing an initialization script to define a behavioral model for the system by defining relationships between the component objects and the connection objects. A software development system that performs the method is also provided.