The ONERA RESSAC Unmanned Helicopter - Towards a Safe Autonomous Operation in an Urban Environment
Yoko Watanabe, Paul Chavent, Alain Piquereau, Patrick Fabiani, Martial Sanfourche · 2012
This paper summarizes recent research activities at the ONERA RESSAC UAV laboratory. We have launched a 4-year research project (2011-2014) which is dedicated to realization of an onboard navigation system of a VTOL-type UAV for its fullyor semi-autonomous operation in an urban environment. The proposed system is composed of the following four functional modules: i) environment mapping and route planning, ii) reactive obstacle detection and avoidance, iii) navigation without GPS and iv) wind gust estimation and compensation. First, each of those modules will be independently developed and tested through simulations and flight experiments. Then, they will be integrated into one complete navigation system. Flight demonstration of a safe autonomous mission operation in an obstacle field is envisaged at the end of the project. The preliminary results obtained in the first year of this project are presented in this paper.