Low-cost Image-assisted Inertial Navigation System for a Micro Air Vehicle

The increasing civilian demand for autonomous aerial vehicle platforms in both hobby and professional markets has resulted in an abundance of inexpensive inertial navigation systems and hardware. Many of these systems lack full autonomy, relying on the pilot's guidance with the assistance of inertial sensors for guidance. Autonomous systems depend heavily on the use of a global positioning satellite receiver which can be inhibited by satellite signal strength, low update rates and poor positioning accuracy. For precise navigation of a micro air vehicle in locations where GPS signals are unobtainable, such as indoors or throughout a dense urban environment, additional sensors must complement the inertial sensors to provide improved navigation state estimations without the use of a GPS. By creating a system that allows for the rapid development of experimental guidance, navigation and control algorithms on versatile, low-cost development platforms, improved navigation systems may be tested with relative ease and at reduced cost. Incorporating a downward-facing camera with this system may also be utilized to further improve vehicle autonomy in denied-GPS environments.