On-board navigation for small MAVs in ship-borne environments Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Topic No.: N121-101 Topic Title: On-board navigation for small MAVs in ship-borne environments Proposal No.: N121-101-0271 Firm: Centeye, Inc. 4905 Reno Road NW Washington, D.C. 20008 Contact: Geoffrey Barrows Phone: (202) 238-9545 Web Site: www.centeye.com Abstract: The goal of this effort is to build a fully on-board vision based navigation system for small micro air vehicles (SMAVs) that will allow autonomous flight and navigation in a ship-borne environment. The target platform is a hovering air vehicle of 7cm to 20cm in size with a payload capacity between 2 and 10 grams. Short range navigation, e.g. stability, relative orientation, and obstacle avoidance, will be provided by a vision system using a combination of optical flow, parallax, stereo vision, and optionally structured light. Long range navigation will be provided by a topological map coupled with SLAM-derived 3D odometry algorithms. The most significant challenge is fitting such capabilities, which have been demonstrated on much larger platforms, into the SMAV's payload constraint, while operating at the higher update rate typically required of such smaller platforms. To do this, we propose using Centeye's "vertical integration" methodology to fabricate hardware specifically for air vehicles of this class. In the base effort we will use bench tests to explore methods of implementing relevant sensing methods to meet payload capacities. In the option effort we will flight test select methods, in an open loop fashion, on our current 18cm helicopter test bed. Benefits: The technology to be developed will provide small air vehicles with the ability to operate in an autonomous fashion in particular navigating through tight spaces and avoiding obstacles. At the current time the manufacture of flying platforms of SMAV scale is a known art, as demonstrated by the proliferation of toy / RC-class aircraft of this size. However, to the best of our knowledge, none of these air vehicles have on-board autonomy or stabilization mechanisms, other than a gyro or IMU. The sole exception we are aware of is our own modified 18cm helicopter test bed which is able to "hover in place" for minutes at a time, detect other moving objects, and avoid collisions with cable-like obstacles. Providing such air vehicles with the same level of autonomous navigation demonstrated on much larger air vehicles will allow them to be used in a large variety of applications, both civil and military. Military applications include ISR, perimeter or area monitoring, or otherwise entering / penetrating indoor or enclosed environments. Civil applications range from monitoring, remote sensing, and inspection to toys and even gaming. Return