WP6-IPS-MAF
Design and Implementation
ACORDE IPS development was started in COMP4DRONES, motivated by the needs of the stakeholder (ACCIONA) and drone integrator (FADA-CATEC), by relying on the expertise of ACORDE on outdoor positioning, and on embedded HW and SW development. The statement of the solution requirements and the wish list from the stakeholder and the drone integrator, made early evident that a more holistic, model-based design was required. It motivated the development of the IPS-MAF, which, as shown in Figure 64, can be now used at early design stage to build up a holistic model of the IPS system. IPS-MAF can be used to analyse and decide key aspect at different levels of system (deployment of the anchors, sensitivities and transmission powers, transmission frequencies, etc) while keeping a holistic view of the system.
That is, IPS-MAF enables a holistic model of the IPS, while integrating some actual pieces of the application, so in that sense it also enables to advance some part of the application development. Therefore IPS-MAF feeds the conventional platform development and embedded application development phases, where ACORDE has already long expertise. At the same time, the measurement and characterizations done for platform and application development serve to feedback and polish the holistic model. Summing up, an extended system-level design flow has been enabled, after coupling IPS-MAF to conventional ACORDE development processes for platform development (which includes PCB design, mechanical design, drivers’ development, embedded application development) and application development (where ACORDE typically develops in C/C++, relying on a GUI based (typically Eclipse), microcontroller specific cross-development environment.