Landing Control on a Mobile Platform for Multi-copters using an Omnidirectional Image Sensor

Abstract

This paper proposes a vision-based target following and landing system for a quadrotor vehicle on a moving platform. The system employs a vision-based landing site detection and locating algorithm using an omnidirectional lens. The latest smartphone was attached to the UAV and served as an on-board image acquisition and process unit. Measurements from the omnidirectional camera are combined with a proper dynamic model in order to estimate position and velocity of the moving platform. An adaptive control scheme was implemented on the flight computer to deal with unknown disturbances in outdoor environments. The system was validated on a quadrotor UAV and the vehicle successfully landed on the moving platform during outdoor flight tests.