NSC/ Architecture design and software development for UAV-based multi-sensor mapping system

对我们的环境进行精确的3D重建已经成为非传统测绘应用的必要条件，例如城市规划、采矿业、环境监测、导航、监视、管道检测、基础设施监测、滑坡灾害分析、室内定位和军事模拟。这些应用的需求不能满足传统的测绘，这是基于专用的数据采集系统，是专为测绘目的。硬件和软件开发的最新进展使得在不使用昂贵的高端数据采集系统的情况下进行精确的3D绘图成为可能。低成本的数码相机、激光扫描仪和导航系统如果在硬件和软件层面上进行适当的集成，就可以提供精确的地图。无人驾驶飞行器（UAV）正在成为一种移动的测绘平台，可以提供额外的经济和实用优势。无人机在较低高度和较低速度下飞行的能力使其能够以更高的分辨率捕获数据。此外，这些系统可以经济地存储和部署。这些特点使无人机成为经济实惠的快速响应测绘应用的最佳平台。这些好处的实现是当前和未来无人机生产和应用增长的主要原因。例如，目前无人机全球市场估计为72亿美元，预计到2018年将达到510亿美元。尽管无人机测绘的潜力已得到证明，但在使其成为可接受的测绘工具所需的条件方面，缺乏与无人机测绘有关的研究。这项提案是与台湾国家科学理事会的国际合作计划下的联合提案，与两国的学术和工业合作者合作，旨在开发低成本无人机测绘的系统架构，使用直接地理参考的被动和主动光学成像系统以及灵活的无人机三维测绘所需的工具/算法，同时考虑使用非测绘坡度传感器。

Accurate 3D reconstruction of our environment has become essential for non-traditional mapping applications such as urban planning, mining industry, environmental monitoring, navigation, surveillance, pipeline inspection, infrastructure monitoring, landslide hazard analysis, indoor localization, and military simulation. The needs of these applications cannot be satisfied by traditional mapping, which is based on dedicated data acquisition systems that are designed for mapping purposes. Recent advances in hardware and software development have made it possible to conduct accurate 3D mapping without using costly and high-end data acquisition systems. Low-cost digital cameras, laser scanners, and navigation systems can provide accurate mapping if they are properly integrated at the hardware and software levels. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are emerging as a mobile mapping platform that can provide additional economical and practical advantages. The ability of UAVs to fly at lower elevation and slower speed than manned systems allows them to capture data with higher resolution. Moreover, these systems can be economically stored and deployed. These characteristics make UAVs an optimal platform for affordable rapid-response mapping applications. The realization of these benefits is the main reason behind the current and future growth in UAV production and applications. For example, the current UAV global markets, which are estimated to be at $7.2 billion, are anticipated to reach $51 billion by 2018. In spite of its proven potential, the research related to UAV-based mapping is lacking in terms of what is needed for it to become an acceptable mapping tool. This proposal, which is a joint submission under the international collaborations program with the National Science Council of Taiwan with academic and industrial collaborators in both countries, aims at developing system architecture for a low-cost UAV mapping using directly georeferenced passive and active optical imaging systems as well as the necessary tools/algorithms for flexible UAV-based 3D mapping while considering the posed challenges by using non-mapping grade sensors.