ARDEA—An MAV with skills for future planetary missions

Philipp Lutz, Marcus G. Müller, Moritz Maier, Samantha Stoneman, Teodor Tomić, Ingo von Bargen, Martin J. Schuster, Florian Steidle, Armin Wedler, Wolfgang Stürzl, Rudolph Triebel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

We introduce a prototype flying platform for planetary exploration: autonomous robot design for extraterrestrial applications (ARDEA). Communication with unmanned missions beyond Earth orbit suffers from time delay, thus a key criterion for robotic exploration is a robot's ability to perform tasks without human intervention. For autonomous operation, all computations should be done on-board and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) should not be relied on for navigation purposes. Given these objectives ARDEA is equipped with two pairs of wide-angle stereo cameras and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) for robust visual-inertial navigation and time-efficient, omni-directional 3D mapping. The four cameras cover a (Formula presented.) vertical field of view, enabling the system to operate in confined environments such as caves formed by lava tubes. The captured images are split into several pinhole cameras, which are used for simultaneously running visual odometries. The stereo output is used for simultaneous localization and mapping, 3D map generation and collision-free motion planning. To operate the vehicle efficiently for a variety of missions, ARDEA's capabilities have been modularized into skills which can be assembled to fulfill a mission's objectives. These skills are defined generically so that they are independent of the robot configuration, making the approach suitable for different heterogeneous robotic teams. The diverse skill set also makes the micro aerial vehicle (MAV) useful for any task where autonomous exploration is needed. For example terrestrial search and rescue missions where visual navigation in GNSS-denied indoor environments is crucial, such as partially collapsed man-made structures like buildings or tunnels. We have demonstrated the robustness of our system in indoor and outdoor field tests.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)515-551
Number of pages37
JournalJournal of Field Robotics
Volume37
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jun 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • GPS-denied operation
  • aerial robotics
  • computer vision
  • exploration
  • planetary robotics

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