Unmanned aerial vehicle relative navigation in GPS denied environments

We present various performance trades for multiantenna global navigation satellite system (GNSS) multisensor attitude estimation systems. In particular, attitude estimation performance sensitivity to various error sources and system configurations is assessed. This study is motivated by the need for system designers, scientists, and engineers of airborne astronomical and remote sensing platforms to better determine which system configuration is most suitable for their specific application. In order to assess performance trade-offs, the attitude estimation performance of various approaches is tested using a simulation that is based on a stratospheric balloon platform. For GNSS errors, attention is focused on multipath, receiver measurement noise, and carrierphase breaks. For the remaining attitude sensors, different performance grades of sensors are assessed. Through a Monte Carlo simulation, it is shown that, under typical conditions, sub-0.1-degree attitude accuracy is available when using multiple antenna GNSS data only, but that this accuracy can degrade to degree level in some environments warranting the inclusion of additional attitude sensors to maintain the desired level of accuracy. Further, we show that integrating inertial sensors is more valuable whenever accurate pitch and roll estimates are critical.

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“…The magnetic field was generated using the World Magnetic Model (WMM) [39] in an interface developed by Hardy et al [40].…”

Section: Gnss Observable Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Performance Trades for Multiantenna GNSS Multisensor Attitude Determination Systems

Tehrani

Gross

2018

International Journal of Aerospace Engineering

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“…As well known, while in outdoor navigation, UAVs use Global Position System (GPS) signal to easily understand, with good accuracy, their position in space, in indoor navigation the possibility to use this technology for positioning and localization decays [1][2][3]. In fact, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in indoor environments is almost blocked or made too weak by buildings, walls or several potential sources of interference.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visual-Inertial Indoor Navigation Systems and Algorithms for UAV Inspection Vehicles

Galtarossa¹,

Navilli²,

Chiaberge³

2020

Industrial Robotics - New Paradigms

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In UAV navigation, one of the challenges in which considerable efforts are being focused is to be able to move indoors. Completing this challenge would imply being able to respond to a series of industrial market needs such as the inspection of internal environments for safety purpose or the inventory of stored material. Usually GPS is used for navigation, but in a closed or underground environment, its signal is almost never available. As a consequence, to achieve the goal and ensure that the UAV is able to accurately estimate its position and orientation without the usage of GPS, an alternative navigation system based on visual-inertial algorithms and the SLAM will be proposed using data fusion techniques. In addition to the navigation system, we propose an obstacle avoidance method based on a Lidar sensor that allows navigation even in the absence of light.

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“…Hardware failures, operation in areas with weak signal reception due to multipath or atmospheric effects, and malicious disruption of the signal through jamming [1], spoofing [2], selective availability (SA), or unintended electronic interference from other systems, makes it vital to have alternative sources of navigation. The state of the art solution to GPS-less navigation is using computer vision [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. The main weakness of vision-based solutions is the need for visual features and such systems are therefore susceptible to both atmospheric and light conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Navigation of UAV using phased array radio

Albrektsen

Sagrov

Johansen

2017

2017 Workshop on Research, Education and Development of Unmanned Aerial Systems (RED-UAS)

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Abstract-Navigation and communication are two of the major challenges when flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), in particular when Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are unavailable. The phased array radio system used in this paper aims to solve both communication and navigation with one system. To enable high efficiency data transfer, the radio system uses electronic beamforming to direct the energy from the ground radio towards the UAV, but to be able to do this, the ground radio needs to know the bearing and elevation angles towards the UAV. By measuring the round-trip time to compute the range and observing the direction of the incoming signal to compute the bearing and elevation angles, the phased array radio system is able to find the position of the UAV, relative to the ground radio, in all three dimensions.The phased array system is shown to provide absolute measurements for UAV navigation in radio line of sight, which can be used as a redundant system to GNSS measurements. By merging the radio measurements with barometer altitude data, a mean accuracy of approximately 24 m with a standard deviation of approximately 17 m compared to the real time kinematic (RTK) satellite navigation solution is achieved on a UAV flight at a distance of approximately 5 km.

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Unmanned aerial vehicle relative navigation in GPS denied environments

Cited by 37 publications

References 12 publications

Performance Trades for Multiantenna GNSS Multisensor Attitude Determination Systems

Performance Trades for Multiantenna GNSS Multisensor Attitude Determination Systems

Visual-Inertial Indoor Navigation Systems and Algorithms for UAV Inspection Vehicles

Navigation of UAV using phased array radio

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