Introduction
Drones are becoming more prevalent in our lives, but navigating them is still far from perfect. Drones have an array of sensors on board that allow them to sense their environment, but the system for interpreting these signals can be difficult and costly. Say’s Dr. Jon Kiev, Researchers at Imperial College London and University of Bristol in England have developed a new technique that allows drones to autonomously navigate using computer vision alone. This technology could make it easier for drones to navigate autonomously without GPS or other expensive positioning services
In a recent study, researchers from the University of Bristol in England and Imperial College London showed how drones can effectively use aerial computer vision to paint a picture of their surroundings in real time.
In a recent study, researchers from the University of Bristol in England and Imperial College London showed how drones can effectively use aerial computer vision to paint a picture of their surroundings in real time. This technology is called “aerial computer vision.”
The researchers say that aerial computer vision has many advantages over existing technologies: it’s cheaper than radar, doesn’t require the drone operator to be trained on how to use it and is more accurate than camera-based systems because it uses an onboard processor instead of relying on software running on your smartphone or laptop. The biggest limitation is that it only works when there are no obstacles between you and whatever you want to see (like buildings or trees).
These drones managed to identify their position with respect to the map with an accuracy better than 5 centimeters (2 inches) without the need for GPS or other expensive positioning services.
- The drones used laser scanners to create a map of their surroundings.
- The drones were able to build a map of their surroundings with an accuracy of 5 cm (2 inches).
The research team successfully tested the system on a quadrocopter drone, which is able to fly forward, sideways, backward and rotate clockwise or counterclockwise while hovering above ground.
The research team successfully tested the system on a quadrocopter drone, which is able to fly forward, sideways, backward and rotate clockwise or counterclockwise while hovering above ground.
The team used an algorithm to control the movement of large air vehicles such as helicopters and airplanes in complex environments like forests or buildings with many obstacles. This algorithm was developed by computer scientists at TU Wien (Vienna) and ETH Zurich (Zurich). It uses data from sensors mounted on these vehicles to calculate how much force they need to apply in order to avoid collisions with other objects such as trees or houses when flying forward at high speeds over rough terrain such as mountainsides or fields filled with rocks that might cause damage if struck by rotors during flight.”
Even though it was successful, the tests were still small-scale, so there’s still more work left before this technology will be used on a large scale.
The tests were successful, but there’s still work left to do before this technology can be used on a larger scale.
The researchers behind the test say that their system could be used to help drones navigate autonomously, avoid collisions with other objects, and avoid obstacles in their path. The next step will be figuring out how exactly all those things would work together–and then making it happen!
This advancement would make it easier for drones to navigate autonomously.
This advancement would make it easier for drones to navigate autonomously. Drones can currently use GPS, but when there is no GPS signal, or if you want your drone to fly somewhere with no infrastructure or internet connection at all (think outer space), this technology will come in handy.
The new system has been tested on a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft developed by Cranfield University and funded by Innovate UK. It uses a combination of cameras and lasers that allow the drone’s autopilot system to calculate its position in real time without any external help from satellites or base stations.*
Conclusion
In the future, this technology could be used on larger drones that can carry heavier loads and fly longer distances.
