An interface based on QgroundControl for the rapid parameterization of flights from an embedded system for the control of an inspection drone

This article proposes the design of an inspection device based on parameterization of flights, focused on the monitoring of vertical structures such as ovens, tanks and silos. This approach was taken because it is considered that monitoring applications over flat fields or large areas are highly developed while more customized inspections that require multiple levels of scanning are not being widely used or exploited. The monitoring task requires an easy-to-configure component that speeds up the start-up of a sensing route that facilitates the creation and the initiation of the flight, without resorting to a registry where all possible flight routes with all possible configurations stored. For this, a portable device is proposed that can design flight routes based on the inputs provided by the operator. In order to achieve the goal this device, uses mathematical calculation tools to design flight routes using the distance in meters to a control georeference marks and transforming them into coordinates with the WGS-84 algorithm in order to be used by the drone. The device will oversee the entry angle of the drone to a circular trajectory, as well as the parameterization of pitch, yaw and roll in order to achieve flight automation and ensure good data collection. The tools used during the development of the proposed device were Python, QgroundControl and the Gazebo as the simulation tool.