Abstract
Autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing can be useful in multiple applications. Precise landing is a difficult task because of the significant navigation errors of the global positioning system (GPS). To overcome these errors and to realize precise landing control, various sensors have been installed on UAVs. However, this approach can be challenging for micro UAVs (MAVs) because strong thrust forces are required to carry multiple sensors. In this study, a new autonomous MAV landing system is proposed, in which a landing platform actively assists vehicle landing. In addition to the vision system of the UAV, a camera was installed on the platform to precisely control the MAV near the landing area. The platform was also designed with various types of equipment to assist the MAV in searching, approaching, alignment, and landing. Furthermore, a novel algorithm was developed for robust spherical object detection under different illumination conditions. To validate the proposed landing system and detection algorithm, 80 flight experiments were conducted using a DJI TELLO drone, which successfully landed on the platform in every trial with a small landing position average error of 2.7 cm.
Highlights
Visual data can be beneficial for autonomous landing because it can resolve issues related to inaccurate global positioning system (GPS) navigation and GPS-denied environments
This study proposed a new autonomous landing system optimized for Micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (MAVs)
The developed landing platform was designed with various equipment to assist landing: a spherical object for searching from long distances, align markers, and a camera for position adjustment
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The flight capabilities and applications of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), along with battery technologies, have greatly expanded over the past decade. Various UAV applications have been developed, such as surveillance [1,2], package delivery [3], hazardous rescue missions [4,5], and even personal transportation [6]. Micro UAVs (MAVs) are widely used for these applications because of their small size, stable control, and swiftness. These advantages enable MAVs to perform autonomous tasks in situations where ground vehicles cannot operate [7,8]
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