Two-Processor Autopilot System for a UAV

The two-processor architecture offers advantages over the prior one-processor architecture.

Atwo-processor autopilot control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been proposed and partly developed. Relative to prior such systems, this would be a lightweight, inexpensive autopilot system offering enhanced computational power and flexibility that would enable the use of the system in a variety of advanced UAVs. The two-processor architecture represents a significant departure from most prior single-processor UAV-autopilot architectures. Moreover, because this particular two-processor architecture is an open one, based on the use of commercial- off-the-shelf (COTS) processors and other COTS electronic subsystems, the system could easily be upgraded to take advantage of available state-of-the-art equipment.