Swarm UAVs for Area Mapping in GPS-denied Locations
Abstract
Utilizing small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) in mapping and cartography applications holds transformative potential, particularly in challenging and GPS-denied environments. Traditionally, mapping involved manual efforts using diverse tools, but there has been a fundamental shift towards autonomous vehicles capable of achieving efficient results in less time and with reduced human effort. Autonomous mapping typically relies on single a UAV employing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) or photogrammetry alongside GPS. This research project seeks to leverage swarm robotics to map intricate landscapes and rugged terrains using SUASs with a faster, more accurate, and precise approach, eliminating dependence on GPS for global positioning. The mapping scope encompasses hard-to-access locations like cliffs, abandoned structures, and forests, as well as areas impractical for manual surveying, such as construction sites and expansive indoor spaces like warehouses, factories, or historical buildings resistant to modifications for survey purposes. The swarm will exhibit an emergent-like behavior to map any location efficiently, ensuring collision-free navigation among sUAS and ground objects.
Swarm UAVs for Area Mapping in GPS-denied Locations
Utilizing small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) in mapping and cartography applications holds transformative potential, particularly in challenging and GPS-denied environments. Traditionally, mapping involved manual efforts using diverse tools, but there has been a fundamental shift towards autonomous vehicles capable of achieving efficient results in less time and with reduced human effort. Autonomous mapping typically relies on single a UAV employing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) or photogrammetry alongside GPS. This research project seeks to leverage swarm robotics to map intricate landscapes and rugged terrains using SUASs with a faster, more accurate, and precise approach, eliminating dependence on GPS for global positioning. The mapping scope encompasses hard-to-access locations like cliffs, abandoned structures, and forests, as well as areas impractical for manual surveying, such as construction sites and expansive indoor spaces like warehouses, factories, or historical buildings resistant to modifications for survey purposes. The swarm will exhibit an emergent-like behavior to map any location efficiently, ensuring collision-free navigation among sUAS and ground objects.