This ongoing study delves into an autonomous swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that takes mission requirements and moves in formations based on user input. We utilize commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and open source software to create a low-cost accessible platform for the potential use in commercial and research applications. The system is scalable, with the capability of swarm formation in both static and dynamic configurations using real-time path planning and optimized target assignment. The group of UAVs used in this study consists of multiple quadcopters, each equipped with an on-board computer, a flight controller, and COTS telemetry and GPS modules. Commands are sent to the swarm via a ground station. The ground station and UAVs communicate via a WiFi datalink. The system has demonstrated path-planning with collision avoidance capabilities through simulations. This study shows via simulation and partially through experimentation that swarm autonomy can be implemented effectively and cost-efficiently. This creates an ease of access for the use of a swarm of UAVs for a variety of applications including 3D mapping, and search and rescue across a variety of terrains with increasing difficulty. By integrating other sensors and instruments, this swarm can be used to measure a variety of parameters, locating targets and creating formations around them to best study the targets in areas where ground navigation and viewpoints are non-optimal.
Adaptable UAV Swarm Autonomy and Formation Platform
2019-03-01
14175187 byte
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
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