Quadrocopter control using an on-board video system with off-board processing

In recent years, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have gained increasing popularity. These vehicles are employed in many applications, from military operations to civilian tasks. One of the main fields of UAV research is the vehicle positioning problem. Fully autonomous vehicles are required to be as self-sustained as possible in terms of external sensors. To achieve this in situations where the global positioning system (GPS) does not function, computer vision can be used. This paper presents an implementation of computer vision to hold a quadrotor aircraft in a stable hovering position using a low-cost, consumer-grade, video system. The successful implementation of this system required the development of a data-fusion algorithm that uses both inertial sensors and visual system measurements for the purpose of positioning. The system design is unique in its ability to successfully handle missing and considerably delayed video system data. Finally, a control algorithm was implemented and the whole system was tested experimentally. The results suggest the successful continuation of research in this field.

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