Inspection of Pole-Like Structures Using a Visual-Inertial Aided VTOL Platform with Shared Autonomy

Sensors
Inkyu SaPeter Corke

Abstract

This paper presents an algorithm and a system for vertical infrastructure inspection using a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle and shared autonomy. Inspecting vertical structures such as light and power distribution poles is a difficult task that is time-consuming, dangerous and expensive. Recently, micro VTOL platforms (i.e., quad-, hexa- and octa-rotors) have been rapidly gaining interest in research, military and even public domains. The unmanned, low-cost and VTOL properties of these platforms make them ideal for situations where inspection would otherwise be time-consuming and/or hazardous to humans. There are, however, challenges involved with developing such an inspection system, for example flying in close proximity to a target while maintaining a fixed stand-off distance from it, being immune to wind gusts and exchanging useful information with the remote user. To overcome these challenges, we require accurate and high-update rate state estimation and high performance controllers to be implemented onboard the vehicle. Ease of control and a live video feed are required for the human operator. We demonstrate a VTOL platform that can operate at close-quarters, whilst maintaining a safe stand-off...Continue Reading

References

Feb 11, 2010·IEEE Transactions on Image Processing : a Publication of the IEEE Signal Processing Society·Daming ShiJigang Liu

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Citations

Dec 26, 2015·Sensors·Miguel A Olivares-MendezPascual Campoy

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
Gate Array

Software Mentioned

ROS
Ubuntu Linux
PBVS
Robot Operating System ( ROS
EyeToy
VTOL
MATLAB Symbolic Toolbox
IBVS
Robot Operating System ( ROS )

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