More Like this

1. Experiments in unmanned aerial vehicle/unmanned ground vehicle radiation search

   https://doi.org/10.1002/rob.21867  

   Peterson, John; Li, Weilin; Cesar‐Tondreau, Brian; Bird, John; Kochersberger, Kevin; Czaja, Wojciech; McLean, Morgan (March 2019, Journal of Field Robotics)

   Abstract This paper discusses the results of a field experiment conducted at Savannah River National Laboratory to test the performance of several algorithms for the localization of radioactive materials. In this multirobot system, both an unmanned aerial vehicle, a custom hexacopter, and an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), the ClearPath Jackal, equipped withγ‐ray spectrometers, were used to collect data from two radioactive source configurations. Both the Fourier scattering transform and the Laplacian eigenmap algorithms for source detection were tested on the collected data sets. These algorithms transform raw spectral measurements into alternate spaces to allow clustering to detect trends within the data which indicate the presence of radioactive sources. This study also presents a point source model and accompanying information‐theoretic active exploration algorithm. Field testing validated the ability of this model to fuse aerial and ground collected radiation measurements, and the exploration algorithm’s ability to select informative actions to reduce model uncertainty, allowing the UGV to locate radioactive material online. 

   more » « less
2. Tracking of a Fluorescent Dye in a Freshwater Lake with an Unmanned Surface Vehicle and an Unmanned Aircraft System

   https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10010081  

   Powers, Craig; Hanlon, Regina; Schmale, David (February 2018, Remote Sensing)
3. Architecture, Classification, and Applications of Contemporary Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

   https://doi.org/10.1109/MCE.2021.3063945  

   Alghamdi, Yousef; Munir, Arslan; La, Hung Manh (March 2021, IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine)

   null (Ed.)

   Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have been gaining significant attention in recent times as they are becoming increasingly accessible and easier to use. The advancements in flight controller technology have enabled users to fly a recreational UAV without any previous flight experience. UAVs are used in a variety of applications, ranging from civilian tasks, law enforcement, and rescue applications, to military reconnaissance and air strike missions. This article serves as an introduction to UAV systems' architecture, classification, and applications to help researchers and practitioners starting in this field get adequate information to understand the current state of UAV technologies. The article starts by inspecting the UAVs' body configuration styles and explains the physical components and sensors that are necessary to operate and fly a UAV system. The article also provides a comparison of several components for state-of-the-art UAVs. The article further discusses different propulsion methods and various payloads that could be mounted on the UAV. The article then explores the classification of UAVs followed by the application of UAVs in different domains, such as recreational, commercial, and military. Finally, the article provides a discussion of futuristic technologies and applications of UAVs along with their associated challenges. 

   more » « less
4. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Package Delivery and Network Coverage

   https://doi.org/10.1109/VTC2020-Spring48590.2020.9129495  

   Khosravi, Mohammadjavad; Pishro-Nik, Hossein (May 2020, IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC))
5. Unmanned Aircraft Applications in Radiological Surveys

   https://doi.org/10.1109/THS.2018.8574133  

   Kochersberger, Kevin; Peterson, John; Kumar, Prashant; Bird, John; McLean, Morgan; Czaja, Wojciech; Li, Weilin; Monson, Nathaniel (October 2018, IEEE International Symposium on Technologies for Homeland Security)

   Unmanned vehicles, equipped with radiation detection sensors, can serve as a valuable aid to personnel responding to radiological incidents. The use of tele-operated ground vehicles avoids human exposure to hazardous environments, which in addition to radioactive contamination, might present other risks to personnel. Autonomous unmanned vehicles using algorithms for radioisotope classification, source localization, and efficient exploration allow these vehicles to conduct surveys with reduced human supervision allowing teams to address larger areas in less time. This work presents systems for autonomous radiation search with results presented in several proof-of-concept demonstrations. 

   more » « less