Logo Parakkum Thallika

The Problem We Solve

  • # Deployment Delays: During natural disasters (floods, landslides, earthquakes, fire), drones remain undeployable due to lack of skilled operators and complex interfaces.
  • # Limited Operators: Lack of readily available UAV pilots delays deployment, especially when remote areas are cut off.
  • # High-Stakes Stress: In high-stakes environments, chaos and stress make it difficult for first responders to deploy drones without specialized training and operational experience.
  • # Scalability Barrier: High training costs and operational complexity severely limit the decentralization of drone technology.

The Solution and Innovation

Our Solution:

  • i) Simplified Interface: A lightweight, simple, and webpage-based User Interface with live video streaming from the drone.
  • ii) Radical Simplicity (Co-Pilot): A radically simplified Co-Pilot with a "tap to command" interface and minimalistic design, empowering any responder to fly in minutes without specialized training and without risk of crashes.

Innovation & Uniqueness:

  • A. Radical Simplicity: Replaces complex menus with mission-focused one-touch automated commands.
  • B. Smart Phone Integration: The phone becomes the command center with a Digital D-Pad, allowing safe micro-movements.
  • C. Open Platform: Universal "Co-pilot" for a wide range of affordable drones built on open-source standards, making it easily adaptable and scalable.

Technical Approach

Core Components:

  • i) Responsive Frontend: HTML, CSS & JavaScript for the web interface.
  • ii) Controller Logic (Gateway): A Python-based Command Gateway (Raspberry Pi + Python/Flask) translating high-level user actions from the web UI into low-level MAVLink flight commands.
  • iii) Real-Time Video: Direct MJPEG stream (with a plan to move to WebRTC/GStreamer) ensuring low-latency video optimized for simple web integration.
  • iv) Radio Communication: ESP32 + SX1280 ELRS Module for long-range, low-latency radio communication.
  • v) Flight Control: Pixhawk Flight Controller for stabilization and autonomous flight execution.

The system operates by hosting a locally served Wi-Fi webpage on the Raspberry Pi, translating user commands to MAVLink, and streaming live HD video and telemetry back to the hosted webpage.

Feasibility & Viability

Feasibility Ratings:

  • - Technical Feasibility: High - Uses mature open-source stacks (ArduPilot, MAVLink, ExpressLRS, Raspberry Pi). Focus is on integration and UX design.
  • - Economic Feasibility: High - Estimated Prototype Cost is under $15,000 (per controller unit). Highly affordable and scalable compared to lakh-spent pilot training.
  • - Operational Feasibility: Very High - Turns smartphones into mission-ready drone controllers within minutes. Intuitive interface means no pilot training is needed, allowing for immediate adoption.

Strategies to Overcome Challenges:

  • * Ruggedization: Provide a ruggedized enclosure with EMI shielding and thermal management for field-readiness.
  • * Power Optimization: Incorporate a dedicated power management module with regulated DC rails and heat dissipation to ensure uninterrupted operation under heavy loads.
  • * Low Latency: Start with MJPEG (prototype), then move to WebRTC with GStreamer pipeline for lower latency video crucial for situational awareness.