The Real-Time Development and Deployment of a Cooperative Multi-UAV System

This paper presents a systems view of the Autonomous Navigation and Sensing Experimental Research (ANSER) project. ANSER is one of the most advanced UAV projects of its kind, which is aimed at demonstrating Decentralised Data Fusion (DDF) and Simultaneous Localisation and Map (SLAM) building on multiple cooperative UAVs. The demonstration of DDF and SLAM require both navigation and terrain sensors to be carried onboard by the UAVs. These include an INS/GPS navigation system, millimeter wave (MMW) radar, and both a single vision node and a vision node augmented with a laser system. This paper presents the implementation of the algorithms, sensors and platforms, along with their interaction to address this demonstration. Furthermore, the paper will present the high fidelity real time simulator which is implemented to thoroughly test all algorithms and sensors before actual implementation in the environment.