Development of ground station for a terrain observer - hardware in the loop simulations

This paper presents the assumptions and the general solutions of a ground control station that allows the management of the mission performed by an experimental ultralight aircraft equipped with observation equipment and aircraft control equipment that works in one of the three modes: autonomous, involving the operator inside the ground control station or involving the pilot-operator that is onboard the aircraft. The ground control station solution provides a two members crew. Each crew member is responsible for one stand. Navigation and control stand enables the operator to manually control the airplane, and to observe its position in 3D space, in addition, it enables the operator to plan the trajectory of the aircraft in the controlled airspace. Observation stand enables the operator to view the image from the camera and receive data from other sensors installed onboard the airplane, their filtration, in addition, the operator has the ability to record these data, to record video and to record individual frames of the film. The entire ground control station creates a tool that allows an operative movement within the terrain and performing the tasks that are necessary to complete the mission.