Specifications

FASTER Engineering Model
73
Figure 63: FASTER EM fiberglass canopy installed on Tecnam P92 passenger side
6.4 Airborne Internal Management and Computing Unit Assembly
The airborne internal management unit is entirely fit inside a 19 inches, 2U custom
modified rack aluminum rack enclosure. Being the prototype an engineering model, there
are some differences between this and the final FASTER system that will be compliant to
all the requirements specified in Chapter 4. One of the main difference is the hardware
positioning; for direct georeferencing purposes the origin of the reference systems of GPS
antenna, I.M.U and camera sensor must be know and compensated in order to maintain
the predicted accuracy during the frame georeferencing process, otherwise errors may
arise due to fact that position and attitude are referred to different reference systems.
During the first test campaigns, however, was preferred to leave both the I.M.U and
the GPS receiver inside the aircraft because they are two of the most expensive FASTER
components and it would be risky to put them inside the external pod when this had never
been tested before. The I.M.U was installed inside the internal management and
computing unit while for the GPS has been prepared an external DB15 connector; the
antenna/receiver was typically placed on the dashboard to improve reception.
Port layout is shown in Figure 64 and as it can be seen, two DB15, 12V powered
connectors are available and just one is used to power the LCD display. Camera shooting
signal and the 8V bus are put together in a DB9 connector while only 3 pin of the DB25