scholarly journals Towards Fully Autonomous UAVs: A Survey

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6223
Author(s):  
Taha Elmokadem ◽  
Andrey V. Savkin
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Autonomous Navigation ◽  
Great Part ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Critical Component ◽  
System A ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Aerial Vehicle

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have undergone rapid developments in recent decades. This has made them very popular for various military and civilian applications allowing us to reach places that were previously hard to reach in addition to saving time and lives. A highly desirable direction when developing unmanned aerial vehicles is towards achieving fully autonomous missions and performing their dedicated tasks with minimum human interaction. Thus, this paper provides a survey of some of the recent developments in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles related to safe autonomous navigation, which is a very critical component in the whole system. A great part of this paper focus on advanced methods capable of producing three-dimensional avoidance maneuvers and safe trajectories. Research challenges related to unmanned aerial vehicle development are also highlighted.

Optimized artificial potential field algorithm to multi-unmanned aerial vehicle coordinated trajectory planning and collision avoidance in three-dimensional environment

2019 ◽  
Vol 233 (16) ◽  
pp. 6032-6043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Tang ◽  
Jiayi Sun ◽  
Cong Lu ◽  
Songyang Lao
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Collision Avoidance ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Trajectory Planning ◽  
Potential Field ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Artificial Potential Field ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Vehicle Trajectory

Multi-unmanned aerial vehicle trajectory planning is one of the most complex global optimum problems in multi-unmanned aerial vehicle coordinated control. Results of recent research works on trajectory planning reveal persisting theoretical and practical problems. To mitigate them, this paper proposes a novel optimized artificial potential field algorithm for multi-unmanned aerial vehicle operations in a three-dimensional dynamic space. For all purposes, this study considers the unmanned aerial vehicles and obstacles as spheres and cylinders with negative electricity, respectively, while the targets are considered spheres with positive electricity. However, the conventional artificial potential field algorithm is restricted to a single unmanned aerial vehicle trajectory planning in two-dimensional space and usually fails to ensure collision avoidance. To deal with this challenge, we propose a method with a distance factor and jump strategy to resolve common problems such as unreachable targets and ensure that the unmanned aerial vehicle does not collide into the obstacles. The method takes companion unmanned aerial vehicles as the dynamic obstacles to realize collaborative trajectory planning. Besides, the method solves jitter problems using the dynamic step adjustment method and climb strategy. It is validated in quantitative test simulation models and reasonable results are generated for a three-dimensional simulated urban environment.

scholarly journals UAV-g 2019: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Geomatics

Drones ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nex
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Autonomous Navigation ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Surrounding Environment ◽  
Poster Sessions ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

Unmanned aerial vehicle in geomatics (UAV-g) is a well-established scientific event dedicated to UAVs in geomatics and remote sensing. In the different editions of the journal, new scientific challenges have increased their synergy with adjacent domains, such as robotics and computer vision, thereby increasing the impact of this conference. The 2019 edition has been hosted by the University of Twente (The Netherlands) and has attracted about 300 participants for the full three-day program. Researchers from 36 different countries (from all continents) have presented 89 accepted papers in 17 oral and 2 poster sessions. The presented papers covered multi-disciplinary topics, such as photogrammetry, natural resources monitoring, autonomous navigation, and deep learning. All these contributions have in common the use of UAV platforms for the innovative acquisition and processing of the acquired data and information extracted from the surrounding environment.

Dynamic Inversion-Based Nonlinear Aiming Point Guidance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Reactive Obstacle Avoidance

2013 ◽  
Vol 01 (02) ◽  
pp. 259-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramsingh G. Raja ◽  
Charu Chawla ◽  
Radhakant Padhi
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Velocity Vector ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Dynamic Inversion ◽  
Mass Model ◽  
Guidance Law ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Angular Correction ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Reactive Collision

A dynamic inversion-based three-dimensional nonlinear aiming point guidance law is presented in this paper for reactive collision avoidance of unmanned aerial vehicles. When an obstacle is detected in the close vicinity and collision is predicted, an artificial safety sphere is put around the center of the obstacle. Next, the velocity vector of the vehicle is realigned towards an 'aiming point' on the surface of the sphere in such a way that passing through it can guarantee safe avoidance of the obstacle. The guidance command generation is based on angular correction between the actual and the desired direction of the velocity vector. Note that the velocity vector gets aligned along the selected aiming point quickly (i.e., within a fraction of the available time-to-go), which makes it possible to avoid pop-up obstacles. The guidance algorithm has been verified with simulations carried out both for single obstacles as well as for multiple obstacles on the path and also with different safety sphere sizes around the obstacles. The proposed algorithm has been validated using both kinematic as well as point mass model of a prototype unmanned aerial vehicle. For better confidence, results have also been validated by incorporating a first-order autopilot models for the velocity vector magnitude and directions.

Feasibility of using digital image correlation for unmanned aerial vehicle structural health monitoring of bridges

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1056-1072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Reagan ◽  
Alessandro Sabato ◽  
Christopher Niezrecki
Keyword(s):  
Digital Image Correlation ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Digital Image ◽  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Image Correlation ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Aerial Vehicle

Quantifying the condition of aging structures is important to verify structural integrity and long-term reliability. Structural health monitoring plays a key role in the prevention of catastrophic failure, in improving the safety of infrastructure, and in reducing the downtime and costs associated with their maintenance. Bridges are typically designed to have a lifespan on order of 50 years; therefore, bridge monitoring is important since many of them are near to or have already exceeded their design life. Conventional sensors and examination techniques such as accelerometers and strain gages produce results at only a discrete number of points. Visual inspection only provides qualitative information and is subject to human variability and inconsistencies between inspectors. Moreover, both approaches are labor intensive and time-consuming. In recent years, three-dimensional digital image correlation systems have proven their efficiency in being able to provide accurate quantitative information of structural deformations, full-field strain, and geometry profiles of large-scale structures. At the same time, unmanned aerial vehicles have emerged as valuable tools for remotely performing measurements in places, which are either difficult or dangerous to access. With regard to bridge inspection, unmanned aerial vehicles have the capability to expedite the measurement process, offer increased accessibility, and reduce interference with the structures’ functionality. In this study, a novel approach that combines the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle and three-dimensional digital image correlation is developed to perform non-contact, optically based measurements to monitor the health of bridges. Extensive laboratory tests and a long-term monitoring campaign on two in-service concrete bridges demonstrated the accuracy of this system in detecting structural changes. Results show that this system is able to detect changes to the bridge geometry with an uncertainty on the order of 10−5 m while improving accessibility. The feasibility of the approach, best practices, and lessons learned is presented.

A method for autonomous collision-free navigation of a quadrotor UAV in unknown tunnel-like environments

Robotica ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Taha Elmokadem ◽  
Andrey V. Savkin
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Underwater Vehicles ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Challenging Problem ◽  
Quadrotor Uav ◽  
Navigation Algorithm ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Quadrotor Uavs

Abstract Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become essential tools for exploring, mapping and inspection of unknown three-dimensional (3D) tunnel-like environments which is a very challenging problem. A computationally light navigation algorithm is developed in this paper for quadrotor UAVs to autonomously guide the vehicle through such environments. It uses sensors observations to safely guide the UAV along the tunnel axis while avoiding collisions with its walls. The approach is evaluated using several computer simulations with realistic sensing models and practical implementation with a quadrotor UAV. The proposed method is also applicable to other UAV types and autonomous underwater vehicles.

scholarly journals A Flow Analysis Using a Water Tunnel of an Innovative Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 5772
Author(s):  
Dawid Lis ◽  
Adam Januszko ◽  
Tadeusz Dobrocinski
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Lift Coefficient ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Water Tunnel ◽  
Dual Use ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Technical Construction

The purpose of this article is to present and discuss the results of a non-standard unnamed aerial vehicle construction with a constant cross-section square-shaped avionic profile. Based on the model’s in-air observed maneuverability, the research of avionic construction behavior was carried out in a water tunnel. The results show the model’s specific lift capabilities in comparison to classical avionic constructions. The characteristic results of the lift coefficient showed that the unmanned aerial vehicle presents favorable features than classic avionic constructions. The model was created with the prospect of using it in the future for dual-use purposes, where unmanned aerial vehicles are currently experiencing very rapid development. When creating the prototype, the focus was on low production cost, as well as convenience in operation. The development of this type of breakthrough avionic solution, which shows extraordinary maneuverability, may contribute to increasing the popularity and, above all, the availability of unmanned aerial vehicles for the largest possible group of recipients because of high avionic properties in relation to the technical construction complexity.

scholarly journals A new nonlinear lifting line method for aerodynamic analysis and deep learning modeling of small unmanned aerial vehicles

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 175682932110168
Author(s):  
Hasan Karali ◽  
Gokhan Inalhan ◽  
M Umut Demirezen ◽  
M Adil Yukselen
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Computationally Intensive ◽  
Lifting Line ◽  
Lifting Line Method ◽  
Nonlinear Aerodynamic

In this work, a computationally efficient and high-precision nonlinear aerodynamic configuration analysis method is presented for both design optimization and mathematical modeling of small unmanned aerial vehicles. First, we have developed a novel nonlinear lifting line method which (a) provides very good match for the pre- and post-stall aerodynamic behavior in comparison to experiments and computationally intensive tools, (b) generates these results in order of magnitudes less time in comparison to computationally intensive methods such as computational fluid dynamics. This method is further extended to a complete configuration analysis tool that incorporates the effects of basic fuselage geometries. Moreover, a deep learning based surrogate model is developed using data generated by the new aerodynamic tool that can characterize the nonlinear aerodynamic performance of unmanned aerial vehicles. The major novel feature of this model is that it can predict the aerodynamic properties of unmanned aerial vehicle configurations by using only geometric parameters without the need for any special input data or pre-process phase as needed by other computational aerodynamic analysis tools. The obtained black-box function can calculate the performance of an unmanned aerial vehicle over a wide angle of attack range on the order of milliseconds, whereas computational fluid dynamics solutions take several days/weeks in a similar computational environment. The aerodynamic model predictions show an almost 1-1 coincidence with the numerical data even for configurations with different airfoils that are not used in model training. The developed model provides a highly capable aerodynamic solver for design optimization studies as demonstrated through an illustrative profile design example.

METHODS AND MODELS OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT OF MODULAR DESIGN OF ASSEMBLY PRODUCTION OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. G. Semenova ◽  
◽  
M. I. Bakustina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Modular Design ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Modern Methods ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Assembly Production

The article is devoted to the creation of a method for preparing an unmanned aerial vehicle for implementation as a finished packaged product. To achieve the goal, modern methods of standardization and quality control are used.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document