An Unmanned Aerial Carrier and Anchoring Mechanism for Transporting Companion UAVs

Yiyong Gou; Lucas Dahl; Jan Krüger; Cavid Karca; Dean Boonen; Rico Möckel

doi:10.5220/0010655500003061

An Unmanned Aerial Carrier and Anchoring Mechanism for Transporting Companion UAVs

Yiyong Gou, Lucas Dahl, Jan Krüger, Cavid Karca, Dean Boonen, Rico Möckel^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference article in proceeding › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

This paper demonstrates an unmanned aerial carrier as well as a new anchoring mechanism for connecting and transporting companion unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Establishing this platform presents unique challenges including the requirements of precise localization of the platform, real-time environment mapping system, robust flight control approach, docking safety mechanism, and reliable anchor system for the companion UAV. To obtain the positioning information, a tightly-coupled visual-inertial optimization based odometry is implemented with a fisheye camera and an inertial measurement unit. A 3D map is updated in real-time using an Octomap framework. A nonlinear position model predictive controller cascaded with a DJI attitude controller is implemented for the flight control. Innovatively, we designed a lightweight anchoring mechanism for safe landing and reliable transportation of the companion UAV. Real-world experiments results suggest that the transportation system is a viab le approach to transport the companion UAV, and that the proposed anchoring mechanism allows for reliable operation.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Robotics, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems
Editors	Péter Galambos, Erdal Kayacan
Pages	103-112
Number of pages	10
Volume	1
ISBN (Electronic)	978-989-758-537-1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5220/0010655500003061
Publication status	Published - 2021
Event	2nd International Conference on Robotics, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems - Online, ROBOVIS, Setúbal, Portugal Duration: 27 Oct 2021 → 28 Oct 2021 Conference number: 2 https://robovis.scitevents.org/?y=2021

Conference

Conference	2nd International Conference on Robotics, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems
Abbreviated title	ROBOVIS 2021
Country/Territory	Portugal
City	Setúbal
Period	27/10/21 → 28/10/21
Internet address	https://robovis.scitevents.org/?y=2021

Keywords

Aerial Anchoring Mechanism
Anchor Design
Companion UAV
Unmanned Aerial Carrier
FLIGHT
NAVIGATION
MODEL
REAL-TIME

Access to Document

10.5220/0010655500003061Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

@inproceedings{a428133f5e5f433da9aedf95895b2277,

title = "An Unmanned Aerial Carrier and Anchoring Mechanism for Transporting Companion UAVs",

abstract = "This paper demonstrates an unmanned aerial carrier as well as a new anchoring mechanism for connecting and transporting companion unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Establishing this platform presents unique challenges including the requirements of precise localization of the platform, real-time environment mapping system, robust flight control approach, docking safety mechanism, and reliable anchor system for the companion UAV. To obtain the positioning information, a tightly-coupled visual-inertial optimization based odometry is implemented with a fisheye camera and an inertial measurement unit. A 3D map is updated in real-time using an Octomap framework. A nonlinear position model predictive controller cascaded with a DJI attitude controller is implemented for the flight control. Innovatively, we designed a lightweight anchoring mechanism for safe landing and reliable transportation of the companion UAV. Real-world experiments results suggest that the transportation system is a viab le approach to transport the companion UAV, and that the proposed anchoring mechanism allows for reliable operation.",

keywords = "Aerial Anchoring Mechanism, Anchor Design, Companion UAV, Unmanned Aerial Carrier, FLIGHT, NAVIGATION, MODEL, REAL-TIME",

author = "Yiyong Gou and Lucas Dahl and Jan Kr{\"u}ger and Cavid Karca and Dean Boonen and Rico M{\"o}ckel",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.5220/0010655500003061",

language = "English",

volume = "1",

pages = "103--112",

editor = "Galambos, { P{\'e}ter } and Kayacan, { Erdal }",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Robotics, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems",

note = "2nd International Conference on Robotics, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems, ROBOVIS 2021 ; Conference date: 27-10-2021 Through 28-10-2021",

url = "https://robovis.scitevents.org/?y=2021",

}

Gou, Y , Dahl, L, Krüger, J, Karca, C, Boonen, D & Möckel, R 2021, An Unmanned Aerial Carrier and Anchoring Mechanism for Transporting Companion UAVs. in P Galambos & E Kayacan (eds), Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Robotics, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems. vol. 1, pp. 103-112, 2nd International Conference on Robotics, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems, Setúbal, Portugal, 27/10/21. https://doi.org/10.5220/0010655500003061

An Unmanned Aerial Carrier and Anchoring Mechanism for Transporting Companion UAVs. / Gou, Yiyong ; Dahl, Lucas; Krüger, Jan et al.
Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Robotics, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems. ed. / Péter Galambos; Erdal Kayacan. Vol. 1 2021. p. 103-112.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference article in proceeding › Academic › peer-review

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AU - Dahl, Lucas

AU - Krüger, Jan

AU - Karca, Cavid

AU - Boonen, Dean

AU - Möckel, Rico

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N2 - This paper demonstrates an unmanned aerial carrier as well as a new anchoring mechanism for connecting and transporting companion unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Establishing this platform presents unique challenges including the requirements of precise localization of the platform, real-time environment mapping system, robust flight control approach, docking safety mechanism, and reliable anchor system for the companion UAV. To obtain the positioning information, a tightly-coupled visual-inertial optimization based odometry is implemented with a fisheye camera and an inertial measurement unit. A 3D map is updated in real-time using an Octomap framework. A nonlinear position model predictive controller cascaded with a DJI attitude controller is implemented for the flight control. Innovatively, we designed a lightweight anchoring mechanism for safe landing and reliable transportation of the companion UAV. Real-world experiments results suggest that the transportation system is a viab le approach to transport the companion UAV, and that the proposed anchoring mechanism allows for reliable operation.

AB - This paper demonstrates an unmanned aerial carrier as well as a new anchoring mechanism for connecting and transporting companion unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Establishing this platform presents unique challenges including the requirements of precise localization of the platform, real-time environment mapping system, robust flight control approach, docking safety mechanism, and reliable anchor system for the companion UAV. To obtain the positioning information, a tightly-coupled visual-inertial optimization based odometry is implemented with a fisheye camera and an inertial measurement unit. A 3D map is updated in real-time using an Octomap framework. A nonlinear position model predictive controller cascaded with a DJI attitude controller is implemented for the flight control. Innovatively, we designed a lightweight anchoring mechanism for safe landing and reliable transportation of the companion UAV. Real-world experiments results suggest that the transportation system is a viab le approach to transport the companion UAV, and that the proposed anchoring mechanism allows for reliable operation.

KW - Aerial Anchoring Mechanism

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KW - Unmanned Aerial Carrier

KW - FLIGHT

KW - NAVIGATION

KW - MODEL

KW - REAL-TIME

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BT - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Robotics, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems

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