Position Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Research Articles

Evade Unknown Pursuer via Pursuit Strategy Identification and Model Reference Policy Adaptation (MRPA) Algorithm

The game of pursuit–evasion has always been a popular research subject in the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Current evasion decision making based on reinforcement learning is generally trained only for specific pursuers, and it has limited performance for evading unknown pursuers and exhibits poor generalizability. To enhance the ability of an evasion policy learned by reinforcement learning (RL) to evade unknown pursuers, this paper proposes a pursuit UAV attitude estimation and pursuit strategy identification method and a Model Reference Policy Adaptation (MRPA) algorithm. Firstly, this paper constructs a Markov decision model for the pursuit–evasion game of UAVs that includes the pursuer’s attitude and trains an evasion policy for a specific pursuit strategy using the Soft Actor–Critic (SAC) algorithm. Secondly, this paper establishes a novel relative motion model of UAVs in pursuit–evasion games under the assumption that proportional guidance is used as the pursuit strategy, based on which the pursuit UAV attitude estimation and pursuit strategy identification algorithm is proposed to provide adequate information for decision making and policy adaptation. Furthermore, a Model Reference Policy Adaptation (MRPA) algorithm is presented to improve the generalizability of the evasion policy trained by RL in certain environments. Finally, various numerical simulations imply the precision of pursuit UAV attitude estimation and the accuracy of pursuit strategy identification. Also, the ablation experiment verifies that the MRPA algorithm can effectively enhance the performance of the evasion policy to deal with unknown pursuers.

Blockchain-based UAV Continuous Authentication

With the growing utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), low-altitude airspace is becoming increasingly congested, posing significant challenges to Air Traffic Control (ATC). The Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system is used to report the location of UAVs. However, due to channel noise and adversarial interference, ADS-B data may be inaccurate. To address this issue, a position estimation method based on Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory Multi-Layer Perceptron (BiLSTM-MLP) was proposed. In this method, ADS-B signal power is used to estimate the position of UAVs as a baseline approach. Experimental results demonstrate that the BiLSTM-MLP based method significantly improves estimation accuracy. Moreover, a blockchain-based dynamic reputation mechanism, aligned with the position estimation method, was proposed. The mechanism integrates information from the third-party UAV and the location data provided by the UAV itself to dynamically update the credibility of the UAV, and thus achieves decentralized access control of UAVs in low-altitude airspace.

Robust H-Infinity Dual Cascade MPC-Based Attitude Control Study of a Quadcopter UAV

Aimed at the stability problem of quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight attitudes under random airflow disturbance conditions, a robust H-infinity-based dual cascade Model Predictive Control (MPC) attitude control method is proposed. Model Predictive Control itself has the capability to minimize the deviation between the prediction error and the control target by optimizing the control algorithm. The robust H-infinity controller can maintain stability in the face of system model uncertainty and external disturbances. The controller designed in this paper divides the attitude control loop into the following two parts: the angle loop and the angular velocity loop. The angle loop, serving as the main control loop of the attitude control, employs the robust H-infinity controller to process the angle of the quadrotor UAV and then transmits the processed value to the MPC controller. This approach reduces the computational load of the MPC controller. Simultaneously, by optimizing the algorithm, MPC minimizes the prediction error and the deviation from the control target. Simulation experiments confirm that the proposed algorithm improves the stability of the UAV attitude under random airflow disturbance conditions, while also achieving accurate tracking of the UAV’s position.

A Target Tracking Method Based on the Self-organizing Fuzzy Extended Kalman Filter for UAV

T his paper proposed a novel approach based on integrated tracking and positioning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems. In the proposed scheme, a self-organizing fuzzy Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) system was studied to track the flight trajectory of an UAV. With this goal, the control model of the UAV system with the disturbances was established based on the dynamic equation firstly. Secondly, the self-organizing Fuzzy EKF system was designed to identify and estimate the errors of the UAV position adaptively. And then, the trajectory tracking control was determined for the UAV according to the obtained errors. Finally, the proposed strategy was applied to a UAV to demonstrate the effectiveness.

UAV Autonomous Navigation Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning in Highly Dynamic and High-Density Environments

Autonomous navigation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has made great progress. However, most studies assume relatively simple task scenarios and do not consider the impact of complex task scenarios on UAV flight performance. This paper proposes a DRL-based autonomous navigation algorithm for UAVs, which enables autonomous path planning for UAVs in high-density and highly dynamic environments. This algorithm proposes a state space representation method that contains position information and angle information by analyzing the impact of UAV position changes and angle changes on navigation performance in complex environments. In addition, a dynamic reward function is constructed based on a non-sparse reward function to balance the agent’s conservative behavior and exploratory behavior during the model training process. The results of multiple comparative experiments show that the proposed algorithm not only has the best autonomous navigation performance but also has the optimal flight efficiency in complex environments.

Stability analysis of flying wing layout aircraft based on radial basis function neural network model

PurposeTo ensure the stability of the flying wing layout unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during flight, this paper uses the radial basis function neural network model to analyse the stability of the aforementioned aircraft.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a linear sliding mode control algorithm to analyse the stability of the UAV's attitude in a level flight state. In addition, a wind-resistant control algorithm based on the estimation of wind disturbance with a radial basis function neural network is proposed. Through the modelling of the flying wing layout UAV, the stability characteristics of a sample UAV are analysed based on the simulation data. The stability characteristics of the sample UAV are analysed based on the simulation data.FindingsThe simulation results indicate that the UAV with a flying wing layout has a short fuselage, no tail with a horizontal stabilising surface and the aerodynamic focus of the fuselage and the centre of gravity is nearby, which is indicative of longitudinal static instability. In addition, the absence of a drogue tail and the reliance on ailerons and a swept-back angle for stability result in a lack of stability in the transverse direction, whereas the presence of stability in the transverse direction is observed.Originality/valueThe analysis of the stability characteristics of the sample aircraft provides the foundation for the subsequent establishment of the control model for the flying wing layout UAV.

Blockchain-Based Spectrum Sharing Algorithm for UAV-Assisted Relay System

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are promising tools in mobile communication due to their flexibility. However, the rapid development of mobile communications further intensifies the challenge of spectrum scarcity, necessitating spectrum sharing with other systems. We suggest a Spectrum Sharing Algorithm for a UAV-Assisted Relay System. The utility function of secondary users (SUs) is defined by their communication rate, rewards from relay primary users (PUs), and spectrum leasing expenses. The utility function of PUs consists of their communication rate and revenue from spectrum leasing. We propose a joint optimization algorithm for the positioning and power allocation of UAVs, maximizing the frequency spectrum utilization rate of users. Spectrum trading between PUs and SUs is modeled as a Stackelberg game, and the problem is solved by using Lagrange multipliers and KKT conditions. To enhance the security of spectrum trading, a reputation-based spectrum sharing blockchain consensus algorithm is designed. We utilize Shamir’s secret sharing method to reduce computational complexity. Additionally, we design a smart contract to optimize the functionality of transaction transfers. The findings demonstrate that the proposed algorithm enhances the benefits for both participants in spectrum sharing, while safeguarding the security of spectrum transactions.

UAV data link anti-interference via SLHS-SVM-AdaBoost algorithm: Classification prediction and route planning

The ability to predict the anti-interference communications performance of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data links is critical for intelligent route planning of UAVs in real combat scenarios. Previous research in this area has encountered several limitations: Classifiers exhibit low training efficiency, their precision is notably reduced when dealing with imbalanced samples, and they cannot be applied to the condition where the UAV’s flight altitude and the antenna bearing vary. This paper proposes the sequential Latin hypercube sampling (SLHS)-support vector machine (SVM)-AdaBoost algorithm, which enhances the training efficiency of the base classifier and circumvents local optima during the search process through SLHS optimization. Additionally, it mitigates the bottleneck of sample imbalance by adjusting the sample weight distribution using the AdaBoost algorithm. Through comparison, the modeling efficiency, prediction accuracy on the test set, and macro-averaged values of Precision, Recall, and F1-score for SLHS-SVM-AdaBoost are improved by 22.7%, 5.7%, 36.0%, 25.0%, and 34.2%, respectively, compared with Grid-SVM. Additionally, these values are improved by 22.2%, 2.1%, 11.3%, 2.8%, and 7.4%, respectively, compared with particle swarm optimization (PSO)-SVM-AdaBoost. Combining Latin hypercube sampling with the SLHS-SVM-AdaBoost algorithm, the classification prediction model of anti-interference performance of UAV data links, which took factors like three-dimensional space position of UAV and antenna bearing into consideration, is established and used to assess the safety of the classical flying path and optimize the flying route. It was found that the risk of loss of communications could not be completely avoided by adjusting the flying altitude based on the classical path, and that intelligent path planning based on the classification prediction model of anti-interference performance can realize complete avoidance of being interfered while reducing the route length by at least 2.3%, thus benefiting both safety and operation efficiency.

Multi-Source Image Matching Algorithms for UAV Positioning: Benchmarking, Innovation, and Combined Strategies

The accuracy and reliability of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) visual positioning systems are dependent on the performance of multi-source image matching algorithms. Despite many advancements, targeted performance evaluation frameworks and datasets for UAV positioning are still lacking. Moreover, existing consistency verification methods such as Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) often fail to entirely eliminate mismatches, affecting the precision and stability of the matching process. The contributions of this research include the following: (1) the development of a benchmarking framework accompanied by a large evaluation dataset for assessing the efficacy of multi-source image matching algorithms; (2) the results of this benchmarking framework indicate that combinations of multiple algorithms significantly enhance the Match Success Rate (MSR); (3) the introduction of a novel Geographic Geometric Consistency (GGC) method that effectively identifies mismatches within RANSAC results and accommodates rotational and scale variations; and (4) the implementation of a distance threshold iteration (DTI) method that, according to experimental results, achieves an 87.29% MSR with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 1.11 m (2.22 pixels) while maintaining runtime at only 1.52 times that of a single execution, thus optimizing the trade-off between MSR, accuracy, and efficiency. Furthermore, when compared with existing studies on UAV positioning, the multi-source image matching algorithms demonstrated a sub-meter positioning error, significantly outperforming the comparative method. These advancements are poised to enhance the application of advanced multi-source image matching technologies in UAV visual positioning.

Multi-sensor fusion for robust indoor localization of industrial UAVs using particle filter

Abstract Robotic platforms including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) require an accurate and reliable source of position information, especially in indoor environments where GNSS cannot be used. This is typically accomplished by using multiple independent position sensors. This paper presents a UAV position estimation mechanism based on a particle filter, that combines information from visual odometry cameras and visual detection of fiducial markers. The article proposes very compact, lightweight and robust method for indoor localization, that can run with high frequency on the UAV’s onboard computer. The filter is implemented such that it can seamlessly handle sensor failures and disconnections. Moreover, the filter can be extended to include inputs from additional sensors. The implemented approach is validated on data from real-life UAV test flights, where average position error under 0.4 m was achieved.

A Visual Navigation Algorithm for UAV Based on Visual-Geography Optimization

The estimation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) poses using visual information is essential in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-denied environments. In this paper, we propose a UAV visual navigation algorithm based on visual-geography Bundle Adjustment (BA) to address the challenge of missing geolocation information in monocular visual navigation. This algorithm presents an effective approach to UAV navigation and positioning. Initially, Visual Odometry (VO) was employed for tracking the UAV’s motion and extracting keyframes. Subsequently, a geolocation method based on heterogeneous image matching was utilized to calculate the geographic pose of the UAV. Additionally, we introduce a tightly coupled information fusion method based on visual-geography optimization, which provides a geographic initializer and enables real-time estimation of the UAV’s geographical pose. Finally, the algorithm dynamically adjusts the weight of geographic information to improve optimization accuracy. The proposed method is extensively evaluated in both simulated and real-world environments, and the results demonstrate that our proposed approach can accurately and in real-time estimate the geographic pose of the UAV in a GNSS-denied environment. Specifically, our proposed approach achieves a root-mean-square error (RMSE) and mean positioning accuracy of less than 13 m.

TROG: a fast and robust scene-matching algorithm for geo-referenced images

ABSTRACT In a GNSS-denied/challenged environment, the scene-matching navigation system (SMNS) is a vital autonomous technology for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). This paper proposes a novel template-matching framework for multimodal images since UAV navigation requires precision and real-time performance while utilizing onboard computers with low computational power. Specifically, first, the local descriptor is extracted to form a pixel-wise feature representation of an image. Then, the Fast Fourier Transform is applied to measure the similarity based on the feature representation. In the feature extraction part, a gradient-like pixel-level feature descriptor is designed, which is reconstructed by weighting it according to the gradient-like angles, named the three-dimensional reconstruction oriented gradient-like (TROG) descriptor. An optimized similarity measurement template is introduced in the matching part, which improves the traditional feature-based similarity measurement algorithm defined using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in the frequency domain. This strategy eliminates redundant computations during the matching process. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, satellite imagery data from Google Earth are used as a reference images, and sensed images (including optical, IR, SAR, and Hyperspectral) are captured by UAV and satellites for image matching to testify to the registration accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency. The experiment demonstrates that TROG is accurate, robust, and attains high real-time performance, making it applicable to UAV navigation and positioning. Additionally, field-flight experiments evaluate scene-matching navigation under satellite-denied conditions and low computational power conditions for UAVs, demonstrating that our scene-matching navigation system can achieve precise positioning with a positioning error of less than 1.637 m, which is comparable to satellite/inertial navigation systems. The experimental results from outdoor flight experiments highlight the value of our proposed algorithm in engineering applications under satellite denial conditions.

Dynamic UAV Deployment Scheme Based on Edge Computing for Forest Fire Scenarios.

This study investigates the dynamic deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using edge computing in a forest fire scenario. We consider the dynamically changing characteristics of forest fires and the corresponding varying resource requirements. Based on this, this paper models a two-timescale UAV dynamic deployment scheme by considering the dynamic changes in the number and position of UAVs. In the slow timescale, we use a gate recurrent unit (GRU) to predict the number of future users and determine the number of UAVs based on the resource requirements. UAVs with low energy are replaced accordingly. In the fast timescale, a deep-reinforcement-learning-based UAV position deployment algorithm is designed to enable the low-latency processing of computational tasks by adjusting the UAV positions in real time to meet the ground devices' computational demands. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme achieves better prediction accuracy. The number and position of UAVs can be adapted to resource demand changes and reduce task execution delays.

Dynamic event‐triggered adaptive neural nonsingular fixed‐time attitude control for multi‐UAVs systems

SummaryThis article looks into the dynamic event‐triggered fixed‐time adaptive attitude control problem for nonlinear six‐rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with external disturbances. The multiple six‐rotor UAVs considered are regarded as nonlinear multi‐agent systems (MASs), and each subsystem has multiple inputs. Under the framework of backstepping recursive design, an effective adaptive fixed‐time control method is proposed by combining neural networks (NNs) technology and fixed‐time theory. NNs are utilized to handle unknown nonlinearity and unmodeled parts in attitude systems. The hyperbolic tangent function is ushered to address the singularity problem that may occur in the derivative of the controller, thereby averting the phenomenon of chattering. For the sake of alleviating the correspondence burden of multiple UAVs attitude systems, a modified dynamic event‐triggered mechanism (DETM) is ushered. The developed controller swears for that all signals of the six‐rotor UAV attitude systems are bounded and the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of the origin within a fixed‐time interval. Eventually, with the help of simulation results, the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme was verified.

Attitude-position obstacle avoidance of trajectory tracking control for a quadrotor UAV using barrier functions

In this article, an attitude-position obstacle avoidance trajectory tracking control scheme based on barrier functions is proposed for a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). First, the barrier functions are designed based on the relationship between the position and attitude of the quadrotor UAV and obstacles. Then, by decoupling the quadrotor UAV system into a position control subsystem and an attitude control subsystem and incorporating integral barrier Lyapunov functions (IBLFs) into the backstepping process, a novel obstacle avoidance tracking control strategy for the position subsystem and the attitude subsystem is constructed. Compared with the existing obstacle avoidance results, the designed obstacle avoidance strategy can simultaneously achieve obstacle avoidance on the position and attitude of the quadrotor UAV. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed method is verified by simulation results.

Research on purely azimuthal passive positioning of unmanned aerial vehicles based on geometric analysis and three-point intersection circle positioning

With the development of UAV technology, this paper discusses the problem of the positioning model of UAVs passively receiving radio signals in UAV clusters. For the case of a circular formation, two possible point distributions are analysed, and the positioning model of UAVs passively receiving signals is established by geometric analysis. In the case where the positions of UAVs numbered FY00 and FY01 are known, the problem of determining how many UAVs need to transmit signals in order to effectively locate a certain UAV with a slightly deviated position is addressed. The paper goes on to prove that only one UAV of unknown number is required to transmit signals for effective localization by analyzing the structure of a positive nine-sided shape on a circle. The article establishes a model of the problem through geometric analysis and proposes a corresponding solution, which provides some theoretical support for the formation flight of UAV clusters.

A novel adaptive super-twisting trajectory tracking control with back propagation algorithm for a quadrotor UAV

This paper presents a new method for controlling a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with neural network adaptive adjustment combined with a super-twisting algorithm, which utilizes back-propagation algorithm in neural networks to design an adaptive method that can adjust the coefficients of the sliding mode surface as well as the control gain adjustment adaptive problem in the super-twisting to improve the stability and accuracy of the position and attitude control of the quadrotor UAV under uncertainty and external disturbances. Specifically, the adaptive neural network learns to dynamically adjust the sliding surface parameters and control gain, effectively inhibiting the sensitivity to parameter uncertainty and external disturbances, while the super-twisting sliding mode control ensures that the sliding trajectory converges in finite time and reduces the chattering phenomenon. In addition, the quadrotor UAV system is divided into a fully-actuated subsystem and an under-actuated subsystem, each of which contains two control inputs and the appropriate control algorithms are designed respectively, and the stability of the algorithm is demonstrated by means of a Lyapunov function in finite time. The proposed control method for quadrotor UAVs is validated through numerical simulations conducted in the Matlab/Simulink environment.

Research on optimal deep learning‐based formation flight positioning of UAV

SummaryThe article examines the positional relationships and transmission/reception signal direction information within unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cluster formations. Considering the distinctive characteristics of various formation shapes (such as circle and cone), a study is conducted on the polar and Cartesian coordinate systems in neural network models to address position deviation issues arising in UAV formation flights. The passive receiving signal UAV positioning model is established by applying the triangular cosine theorem. Additionally, the position relationship model of the UAV is formulated using optimization theory. The article introduces a deep learning‐based deviated UAV adjustment algorithm designed to automatically adjust UAV positions. This is achieved by establishing a triangular relationship between the passive signal receiving UAV and other UAVs. The implementation involves C# programming and MATLAB visualization. The proposed method not only resolves UAV positioning and position adjustment challenges but also optimizes the adjustment strategy. This optimization leads to maximum savings in time and distance costs associated with sending and receiving signals among UAVs, thereby enhancing the overall performance of UAVs during flights.

Interactive technology of high voltage tower acceptance UAV Based on AR and YOLOv7

To address many shortcomings of the current unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) inspection mode of the transmission line high-voltage towers and improve the inspection efficiency, the UAV tower foreign matter detection technology based on Augmented Reality (AR) and You Only Look Once: Unified, Real-Time Object Detection (YOLOv7) has been developed. Firstly, the system architecture, including UAV, ground station, and AR glasses is established. Then, the AR scene is built by using the Unity engine, and the interactive control mode between AR glasses and UAV is designed. Subsequently, the mapping mode of head action and UAV command is devised to synchronize the UAV action and head action. Finally, the tower is detected for foreign objects by using YOLOv7 vision detection technology. The experimental results validate the efficacy of the built AR scene, demonstrating seamless functionality in completing the video streaming and attitude data transmission functions. The use of AR glasses can achieve interactive control of the UAV attitude. In addition, the YOLOv7 visual detection algorithm can accurately detect the attachment of foreign objects to the high-voltage tower.

Precision Landing of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle under Wind Disturbance Using Derivative Sliding Mode Nonlinear Disturbance Observer-Based Control Method

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are extensively employed in civilian and military applications because of their excellent maneuverability. Achieving fully autonomous quadrotor flight and precision landing on a wireless charging station in the presence of wind disturbance has become a crucial research topic. This paper presents a composite control technique for UAV altitude and attitude tracking in harsh environments, i.e., wind disturbance. A composite controller was developed based on nonlinear disturbance observer (NDOB) control theory to allow the UAV to land in the presence of random external wind disturbances and ground effects. The NDOB estimated the unknown wind disturbance, and the estimation was fed into the derivative sliding mode nonlinear disturbance observer-based control (DSMNDOBC), allowing the UAV to perform autonomous precision landing. Two loop designs were applied: the inner loop for stabilization and the outer loop for altitude tracking. The quadrotor model dynamics and the proposed controller, DSMNDOBC, were simulated employing MATLAB/Simulink®, and the results were compared with the one obtained by the proportional derivative (PD) controller and the sliding mode controller (SMC). The simulation results indicated that the DSMNDOBC has superior altitude and attitude control compared to the PD and SMC controllers and better disturbance estimation and attenuation performance.