Design of sonar sensor model for safe landing of an UAV

In this paper a procedure that creates a three dimensional (3D) virtual map useful for Safe Landing of an UAV Quadcopter [3], through a Ultrasonic Sensor Model is presented. Reflective sound waves produced from sonar sensor were analyzed and managed to generate a constructed plane where the UAV landing is possible and safe. The low-cost sensor gives relatively accurate range readings if there are disregarding angular uncertainty and specular reflections. Application works for an horizontal plane with and without obstacles inside it. Ultrasonic sensor detects obstacles in the landing field and if there are obstacles higher than UAV landing legs, the landing procedure is aborted. A series of ultrasonic sensors installed on UAV are used for low-altitude mapping on an horizontal plane. Experiments were ducted on a model at 150 cm from the landing field.

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