As discussed, the developed platform has a cost of 90 USD. If we include also the recommended balloon type (4 USD) and the initial filling cost (16.5 USD), the total cost of the airship comes to 110.5 USD. This is comparable to alternative indoor blimp kits, such as the Blimpduino 2.0 [15], which costs 90 USD. The Blimpduino kit, however, features a simple microcontroller that is less flexible than the single-board computer integrated into the proposed platform. Considering also the camera module, the open-source gondola design, the ROS compatibility, and the sample closed-loop control scheme, the proposed platform is much better suited for research and education purposes.

Concerning educational use, the platform can be easily incorporated into science and engineering courses on the secondary or tertiary level. For a mechanically-oriented curriculum, the students can work on gondola design and weight optimisation, developing their CAD and rapid prototyping skills. The airship is also ideal for control courses, where the students can develop and apply controllers that range from basic PID to complex, model-based control. An advantage of using a single-board computer as the core control component is also that the code is not limited to a single programming language, since the airship can be controlled through the provided ROS interface, C/C++ or Python. Combining the above with assembly, wiring, and optional circuit design for motor drivers, the platform can be used as a complete mechatronics project that encompasses mechanics, electronics, and control.

For research, the small LTA platform is interesting in terms of controller development, as it is susceptible to drafts and ventilation that make reliable control difficult. Another opportunity is also in guidance and indoor exploration, where the challenge is to effectively utilise the limited computational power and simple RGB input to interpret its surroundings. Indoor exploration and navigation can be further examined in terms of micro-airship fleets. Such studies can build on [31], where the authors simulated the flight paths and collisions of several miniature airships with a similar shape and envelope type as those chosen in this work. Due to its safety and quiet operation, the platform can also be used in human-robot interaction studies. As the payload is limited, the challenge is to design a lightweight interface that can still effectively convey information and engage the user.

References

[31] B. Troub, B. DePineuil and C. Montalvo, "Simulation analysis of a collision-tolerant micro-airship fleet", Int. J. Micro Air Vehicles, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 297-305, Dec. 2017.