Autonomous three-dimensional formation flight for a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles

This paper investigates the development of a new guidance algorithm for a formation of unmanned aerial vehicles. Using the new approach of bifurcating potential fields, it is shown that a formation of unmanned aerial vehicles can be successfully controlled such that verifiable autonomous patterns are achieved, with a simple parameter switch allowing for transitions between patterns. The key contribution that this paper presents is in the development of a new bounded bifurcating potential field that avoids saturating the vehicle actuators, which is essential for real or safety-critical applications. To demonstrate this, a guidance and control method is developed, based on a six-degreeof-freedom linearized aircraft model, showing that, in simulation, three-dimensional formation flight for a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles can be achieved

Formalized Resolution of the Scientific Task for Improving the Effective Planning Special Purpose Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Routes of Tactical Level

In the article, the features of application of special purpose unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the tactical level have resulted during the operation of the joint forces. The role of routes planning of special purpose UAVs of tactical level in the conditions of a concrete battle situation is determined. The necessity of the mathematical development for planning a flight route of special purpose UAVs is justified. Essence and maintenance of scientific task are set. Its formalized setting is guided

PENGGUNAAN PESAWAT TANPA AWAK DALAM KONFLIK BERSENJATA DITINJAU DARI PRINSIP KEPENTINGAN MILITER DAN PRINSIP PEMBATASAN HUKUM HUMANITER INTERNASIONAL

The study concerns with the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in armed conflict based on military necessity principle and limitation principle. The number of using unmanned aerial vehicles has been increasing in last years, but it does not yet regulated. In this legal writing, the researcher tries to examine and analyze from the military necessity principle and limitation principle using normative legal research methods and literature. The data used is the primary legal materials consisting of the 1907 Hague Conventions on means and method of warfare nd its annex: Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land. The Hague, United Nations Charter, the 1949 Geneva Conventions on the protection victims of war and the 1977 Additional Protocols I and II, as well as secondary data which consists of books, journals, articles, theses, internet-related research topics, and interview. Based on the results of research and analysis, it is unlawful if unmanned aerial vehicles kill many civilians. Based on the limitation principles, the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is legal if it is does not cause serious damage and casuaties

Detecting Invasive Insects with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

A key aspect to controlling and reducing the effects invasive insect species have on agriculture is to obtain knowledge about the migration patterns of these species. Current state-of-the-art methods of studying these migration patterns involve a mark-release-recapture technique, in which insects are released after being marked and researchers attempt to recapture them later. However, this approach involves a human researcher manually searching for these insects in large fields and results in very low recapture rates. In this paper, we propose an automated system for detecting released insects using an unmanned aerial vehicle. This system utilizes ultraviolet lighting technology, digital cameras, and lightweight computer vision algorithms to more quickly and accurately detect insects compared to the current state of the art. The efficiency and accuracy that this system provides will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of invasive insect species migration patterns. Our experimental results demonstrate that our system can detect real target insects in field conditions with high precision and recall rates.Comment: IEEE ICRA 2019. 7 page

Multi-agent pathfinding for unmanned aerial vehicles

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, have become more and more prevalent in recent years. In particular, governmental organizations and companies around the world are starting to research how UAVs can be used to perform tasks such as package deliver, disaster investigation and surveillance of key assets such as pipelines, railroads and bridges. NASA is currently in the early stages of developing an air traffic control system specifically designed to manage UAV operations in low-altitude airspace. Companies such as Amazon and Rakuten are testing large-scale drone deliver services in the USA and Japan. To perform these tasks, safe and conflict-free routes for concurrently operating UAVs must be found. This can be done using multi-agent pathfinding (mapf) algorithms, although the correct choice of algorithms is not clear. This is because many state of the art mapf algorithms have only been tested in 2D space in maps with many obstacles, while UAVs operate in 3D space in open maps with few obstacles. In addition, when an unexpected event occurs in the airspace and UAVs are forced to deviate from their original routes while inflight, new conflict-free routes must be found. Planning for these unexpected events is commonly known as contingency planning. With manned aircraft, contingency plans can be created in advance or on a case-by-case basis while inflight. The scale at which UAVs operate, combined with the fact that unexpected events may occur anywhere at any time make both advanced planning and planning on a case-by-case basis impossible. Thus, a new approach is needed. Online multi-agent pathfinding (online mapf) looks to be a promising solution. Online mapf utilizes traditional mapf algorithms to perform path planning in real-time. That is, new routes for UAVs are found while inflight. The primary contribution of this thesis is to present one possible approach to UAV contingency planning using online multi-agent pathfinding algorithms, which can be used as a baseline for future research and development. It also provides an in-depth overview and analysis of offline mapf algorithms with the goal of determining which ones are likely to perform best when applied to UAVs. Finally, to further this same goal, a few different mapf algorithms are experimentally tested and analyzed

STUDY OF THE PROBLEM OF OPTIMAL MAINTENANCE OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES IN CONDITIONS OF A SHORTAGE OF VEHICLES

The ways to find the ways of solving the problem of optimal service for unmanned aerial vehicles in the conditions of vehicle shortage are explored. In the study of theory of optimal control and discrete optimization insufficiently explored the problem of optimal graph coverage by the chains of a fixed pattern with the help of a description system of ordinary differential equations. With the help of the graph theory investigated the optimization problem of the «Upper Cover» for unmanned aerial vehicles service in the conditions of vehicle shortage has been solved. Study of the problem relates to the mathematical dependence of transport systems. It can be used for determination of the optimal ratio between the amount of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and fuel (electricity) reserves used by the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The method of solving the problem of determining the weight of the arcs of the graph and the problem of constructing a chain is based on that dependence. Part of the problem is the task of docking. The combinatorial task of choosing a set of stations for servicing points of the initial unmanned aerial vehicles dislocation is based on the dependence mentioned. Effective method for solving the problem of optimal coverage of a graph for supply chains with constraints is developed on the bases of the dependence. The proposed research methods can significantly reduce the cost of delivery of urgent goods using unmanned aerial vehicles. The proposed research methods can significantly reduce the cost of delivery of urgent goods using unmanned aerial vehicles. Perspective of further researches is studying of mathematical model of optimal servicing the delivery areas in the conditions of the lack of UAV. The constraints for practical purposes must have a group-theoretical approach to solving optimization problems and be reduced for the constructing an optimal cost matrix analysis. Algebraic approach is used, when there is a need in solving a large set of similar types of optimization problems with different constraints in the right hand side only. It is possible to apply a heuristic algorithm for solving the problem of optimal UAV service. The problem means optimal coverage of a special graph with chains with restriction on the chain lengt

Testing System for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Microelectromechanical Sensors

Designed system for microelectromechanical sensors testing before use them in the unmanned aerial vehicles navigation systems. Microelectromechanical sensors pressure and temperature sensor, magnetic field sensor and inertial unit were studied. Experimental results shows that designed testing equipment allows to calibrate microelectromechanical sensors without necessity of performing test flights that reduces the risk of unmanned aerial vehicles damaging in case of significant measurement errors