Web Based Control of Multiple UAVs Using Self-Healing Network Architecture in GPS denied Environment

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) become very popular in the last years with the help of increasing computing power perarea and per cost. While UAVs with a global positioning system (GPS) can easily operate to fly autonomously, this and such sensors' data cannot always be trusted. And most of the cases for small scale UAVs, we cannot use these kinds of sensors because of cost, complexity, and weight. Safely and reliably operating close to unknown indoor or GPS-denied environments requires improving UAVs' sensing, localization, and control algorithms. To solve and to improve for a UAV is one problem; extending it to multiple UAVs is another problem. We study and develop a framework for multiple UAVs to command and control from web-based front-end. In our experiments, a quadcopter platform called AR Drone from Parrot Inc. used because of its open-source API and kernel-level arrangements. Test flights inside a warehouse validate the framework is capable of control one or more quadcopters in a given lattice-based path from a web browser. UAVs are capable of localizing its position by using IMU, front, and bottom cameras. All UAVs interconnected to each other and controller computer through a self-healing network, so if one or more quadcopter fails because of lack of battery or any other circumstances, the rest of the group continues its mission. Experiments are also expanded to outdoor to demonstrate rooftop trips for vehicles in convoy and also reconnaissance missions, especially for Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.

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