On-Line Cooperative Observation Based on ESMF in Three-Dimensional Enviroments

Abstract

In this paper, a new multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) cooperative observation approach, based on extended set-membership filter (ESMF), is proposed to track a moving target in 3D environments. Instead of applying extra method to fuse the estimation of each UAV, the new method just uses the ESMF to fuse observation result which is estimated by each UAV, i.e. combining the fusion and estimation method together. So it needs less data processing than some previous methods, which makes it very suitable to the fast applications. Due to the only information to be transmitted between the main UAV and accessorial UAV is the sensor measurement, the communication burden of this method is relatively light. Moreover, when intersecting the estimation result, the new method avoids approximation of estimation result so as to make sure the accuracy of the cooperative observation result. Finally, the simulations in 3D environments are conducted to verify the feasibility and validity of the method and they show the higher accuracy and faster convergence speed of this method.