INITIAL iteration of an architecture for creating autonomous drones. The main idea is to clearly isolate the main components, like safety, autonomy, etc. from each other in a way that it is simple to check the behavior of each component.

1. Software Architecture
for Autonomous Drones
Mário H.C.T.
09/01/2015

2. Rationale
• Reuse available middleware
• Guarantee that the drone will never allow to be
crashed (even if the operator, or soft, wants it)

3. Drone MW
NuttX OS
APM
Middleware
PX4 Middleware
Drone Safety
Control
AW Autonomic MW
A B A uses B
Module
Key

4. Modules
• AW Autonomic MW - Creates flight plans based on the
coordination of activities with other drones
• Drone Safety Control - Basic rules to guarantee the
physical integrity of the drone
• APM Middleware - API for controlling drone orientation,
speed, etc. Provides APIs for creating flight modes
• PX4 Middleware - Controls the drone motors, integrates
the sensors, etc.
• NuttX OS - Real Time Operating System

5. Rationale - Drone Safety
Control
• Keep the complexity low
• Possibility to have formal proofs of the software
used
• Few basic rules aiming at guaranteeing the safety
of the device

6. Rationale - Drone Safety
Control
• Simple rules to guarantee drone integrity
• Eg.
• if battery has X Wh and Altitude >= Y => land
• if flying into direction of wall => stop flying
towards that direction