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

准确的环境三维重建已成为非传统测绘应用的关键，如城市规划、矿业、环境监测、导航、监视、管道检查、基础设施监测、滑坡危险分析、室内定位和军事模拟。传统测绘无法满足这些应用的需求，传统测绘是基于为测绘目的而设计的专用数据采集系统。最近在硬件和软件开发方面的进步使得在不使用昂贵的高端数据采集系统的情况下进行准确的3D测绘成为可能。如果在硬件和软件层面进行适当的集成，低成本的数码相机、激光扫描仪和导航系统可以提供准确的地图绘制。无人机作为一种移动测绘平台正在兴起，它可以提供额外的经济和实用的优势。无人机以比载人系统更低的高度和更慢的速度飞行的能力，使它们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负担得起的快速反应地图应用的最佳平台。这些好处的实现是无人机生产和应用目前和未来增长的主要原因。例如，目前无人机全球市场规模估计为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实，但就其成为可接受的测绘工具所需的条件而言，缺乏相关研究。这项提案是与台湾国家科学委员会的国际合作计划下与两国的学术界和产业界合作者联合提交的，旨在开发使用直接地理参考被动和主动光学成像系统的低成本无人机测绘的系统架构，以及灵活的基于无人机的3D测图所需的工具/算法，同时考虑使用非测绘等级传感器带来的挑战。

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.