A Ground Control Station for a Multi-UAV Surveillance System
Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems
Dynamic Graph-Search Algorithm for Global Path Planning in Presence of Hazardous Weather
Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems
Towards Autonomous Autorotation Landing for Small Size Unmanned Helicopters
Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems
Cooperative Large Area Surveillance with a Team of Aerial Mobile Robots for Long Endurance Missions
Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems
Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems
Advances in Modeling and Control of Tethered Unmanned Helicopters to Enhance Hovering Performance
Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems
Hybrid Adaptive Control for Aerial Manipulation
Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems
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It is generally accepted that systems composed of multiple aerial robots with autonomous cooperation capabilities can assist responders in many search and rescue (SAR) scenarios. In most of the previous research work, the aerial robots are mainly considered as platforms for environmental sensing and have not been used to assist victims. In this paper, outdoor field experiments of transportation and accurate deployment of loads with single/multiple autonomous aerial vehicles are presented. This is a novel feature that opens the possibility to use aerial robots to assist victims during rescue phase operations. Accuracy in the deployment location is a critical issue in SAR scenarios in which injured people may have very limited mobility. The presented system is composed of up to three small-size helicopters and features cooperative sensing, using several different sensor types. The system supports several forms of cooperative actuation as well, ranging from the cooperative deployment of small sensors/objects to the coupled transportation of slung loads. The complete system is described, outlining the hardware and software framework used, as well as the approaches for modeling and control used. Additionally, the results of several flight field experiments are presented, including a description of the worldwide first successful autonomous load transportation experiment, using three coupled small-size helicopters (conducted in December 2007). During these experiments strong, steady winds and wind gusts were present. Various solutions and lessons learned from the design and operation of the system are also provided. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.