Cyber-physical UAV Navigation and Operation

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a work in progress pertaining to drone pose estimation and flight calibration. This paper intends to underline the increasing importance of determining alternative path planning instruments through accurate localization for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with the purpose of achieving complex flight operations for the emerging applications of autonomous robotics in surveying, design, fabrication, and on-site operations. This research is based on the implementation of novel technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Robot Operating System (ROS), and computational approaches to define a drone calibration methodology, leveraging existing methods for drone path planning. Drones are equipped with measurement systems to provide geo-location and time information such as onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors, and Inertial Measurement Units (IMU). As stated in previous research, to increase navigation capabilities, measurements and data processing algorithms have a critical role (Daponte et al. 2015). The outcome of this work in progress showcases valuable results in calculating and assessing accurate positioning for UAVs, and developing data exchanges in transmission, reception, and tracking.