SEARCHING LOST PEOPLE WITH UAVS: THE SYSTEM AND RESULTS OF THE CLOSE-SEARCH PROJECT
This paper will introduce the goals, concept and results of the project named CLOSE-SEARCH, which stands for ’Accurate and safe EGNOS-SoL Navigation for UAV-based low-cost Search-And-Rescue (SAR) operations’. The main goal is to integrate a medium-size, helicopter-type Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2012-07-01
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| Series: | The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences |
| Online Access: | https://www.int-arch-photogramm-remote-sens-spatial-inf-sci.net/XXXIX-B1/441/2012/isprsarchives-XXXIX-B1-441-2012.pdf |
| Summary: | This paper will introduce the goals, concept and results of the project named CLOSE-SEARCH, which stands for ’Accurate and safe
EGNOS-SoL Navigation for UAV-based low-cost Search-And-Rescue (SAR) operations’. The main goal is to integrate a medium-size,
helicopter-type Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), a thermal imaging sensor and an EGNOS-based multi-sensor navigation system,
including an Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (AIM) capability, to support search operations in difficult-to-access areas and/or night
operations. The focus of the paper is three-fold. Firstly, the operational and technical challenges of the proposed approach are discussed,
such as ultra-safe multi-sensor navigation system, the use of combined thermal and optical vision (infrared plus visible) for person
recognition and Beyond-Line-Of-Sight communications among others. Secondly, the implementation of the integrity concept for UAV
platforms is discussed herein through the AIM approach. Based on the potential of the geodetic quality analysis and on the use of
the European EGNOS system as a navigation performance starting point, AIM approaches integrity from the <i>precision</i> standpoint;
that is, the derivation of Horizontal and Vertical Protection Levels (HPLs, VPLs) from a realistic precision estimation of the position
parameters is performed and compared to predefined Alert Limits (ALs). Finally, some results from the project test campaigns are
described to report on particular project achievements. Together with actual Search-and-Rescue teams, the system was operated in
realistic, user-chosen test scenarios. In this context, and specially focusing on the EGNOS-based UAV navigation, the AIM capability
and also the RGB/thermal imaging subsystem, a summary of the results is presented. |
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| ISSN: | 1682-1750 2194-9034 |