Automated Vision‐based Recovery of a Rotary Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle onto a Moving Platform

Abstract

This paper describes an integrated control demonstration in which a rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landed on a moving platform using vision‐based localization of the target vehicle. Three key areas are covered in this paper: the system components and integration, the control system structure and design, and finally flight test data including the first such successful landing. All the development and demonstration flights were carried out in the field, and key system challenges and lessons learned are highlighted throughout the paper. Results are given for landings carried out on both stationary and translating targets, in wind speeds of up to 15 knots. While the translating target was constrained to linear motion, there are several applications such as recovery to a land‐based convoy for which this capability would be applicable. The results show that the approach adopted for this demonstration could form part of a practical solution to the problem of automated UAV recovery in both civilian and military environments.