Kevin and Noodle use similar approaches to flight control, onboard computing, power distribution, and wireless communication, with differences in their power distribution and network hardware to accommodate each vehicle's configuration.
Kevin uses a Mateksys FCHUB-12S V2 power distribution board with integrated 12 V and 5 V voltage regulators to power the vehicle's electrical components. Noodle uses a simpler power distribution board with external voltage regulators to provide the required voltages to its individual electrical components.
Kevin and Noodle both use a Pixhawk V6X flight controller for vehicle control. A dedicated 5 V power module is connected in series with the battery and power distribution board to provide an additional power path and increase system redundancy.
Both Kevin and Noodle use a Jetson Orin Nano for onboard sensor data processing because of its computational performance for autonomous systems and image processing. The Jetson GPIO is also used to control the motor for Kevin's capture mechanism.
Kevin uses an unmanaged Ubiquiti Flex Mini 5-port Ethernet switch for network communication between onboard components. The additional ports provide capacity for future components as the vehicle's systems develop.
Both Kevin and Noodle use a Bullet AC radio to communicate information between the UAVs and the ground station. Kevin's radio was modified by replacing the N-type connector with an RP-SMA connector to reduce weight and packaging space. The external case was also removed because the radio is installed inside Kevin's waterproof compartment, eliminating the need for the additional protection provided by the case.
