Sense and avoid systems for civilian unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) are essential in controlled airspace under visual flight rules (VFR). A prototype optical sensor accomplishes the task with attractive performance specifications. Key requirements include long-range detection (up to 10 km), wide field of view, discrimination of small threats against the background and tolerance of direct solar illumination. We demonstrate a prototype system based on a network of independent camera modules equipped with local processing. Availability of a flyby-wire helicopter configured as a UAV emulator allows for realistic field tests with consumer components. Aspects of the design, implementation and evaluation of the prototype sensor are presented here, as are preliminary measurements to clarify the roles of platform motion, system optical point-spread, noise, direct sunlight and target highlighting.
The characterization of a laboratory prototype collision avoidance sensor based on a distributed network of smart cameras is presented. Choices for the computer, optics and image sensor are characterized with a combination of laboratory and field experiments. Intra-and inter-camera calibrations are performed via a custom in-house laser-scanner facility. Field tests measured the impact of the scene dynamic range and the camera point-spread function on the range at first detection.
Constructing a collection of autonomous agents requires the development of appropriate experimental hardware platforms. Here we describe the process of re-purposing inexpensive radio-controlled (RC) electric motorboat as autonomous surface craft. Standard electronics components are used to interface with the RC boat electronics, and the vessels are augmented with GPS, vision, and a tilt-compensated compass to provide the necessary onboard sensing capabilities to enable point-to-point and target-based control of the vehicle. A ROS-based control and sensing infrastructure is used to operate the vehicles on-board while 802.11n communication provides communication off-board. Vessels have been operated successfully in both the pool and ocean environment.the basic electronic components used are "standard" devices that are easily sourced. VESSEL DESIGNA basic design question in the development of any autonomous system is the size of the device. Size, measured in volume or mass, provides a range of constraints related to power, locomotive strategies, onboard sensor capabilities, onboard computation, communication opportunities and the like. This constraint is especially true in the development of an au-
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