Smart payloads are such equipment that is designed for the purposes of performing research in the context of the several projects that ARCAA is undertaking. Among their main features are high level of customization and miniaturization in order to be employed in UAVs, examples of smart payloads are gimbaled cameras, deployable mechanisms, network sensors, DSP processor and communication devices. Currently, ARCAA develops smart payload specific to the following applications:
Infrastructure Inspection and MonitoringCurrently, research is being conducted in the detection and tracking of power line infrastructure from small, low-cost fixed wing UAV.
Image of powerline infrastructure captured from a small UAV Description of Research The purpose of this research is to investigate the feasibility of detecting and controlling a UAV to monitor power lines. Many applications can benefit from images of power infrastructure attained at low altitudes including fault detection and vegetation management. Traditional control methods are not optimized to track such objects and therefore the imagery is less than ideal for such applications. The research project itself will focus on two main areas, namely image processing and control. Image Processing will be used to the detect power lines from the UAVs onboard camera, utilizing processes such as the Hough Transform. Once the line is detected, the goal is to then track the line by implementing a low level controller that will attempt to manoeuvre the UAV such that the line remains in the field of view thus improving data collection. This process is summarised in the diagram below.
This research is part of the CRC-SI project 6.07. Publications Related Sites Primary Researchers Related Media
Search and RescueIt is the aim of this research to investigate the viability of machine vision to perform aerial searches for humans (who may or may not be wearing fluorescent attire) lost at sea. If this search capability can be automated then swarms of UAVs could be employed by search agencies as a force multiplier to maximise their search region.
RACQ-CQ Rescue Helicopter Service performing a rescue (photo copyright CQ Rescue Helicopter Service) Description of Research The most time consuming task of any maritime search and rescue (SAR) mission is first and foremost the search. The search phase of the mission is also the most crucial as the longer victims are left in the water the slimmer their chances of survival. Australia which has one of the largest search and rescue regions in the world, covering almost 53 million square kilometres or about one tenth of the Earth’s surface.
Map of Australian maritime SAR region - photo copyright AMSA Therefore, human searches have a large area to cover but unfortunately, in general, the majority of searchers can begin to develop sentiments of complacency after searching for more than two hours which increases the chance of survivors being overlooked. As the former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Honourable John Anderson MP, states “Search and rescue…has always been extremely challenging”. It is an aim of this research to develop a system using machine vision, which is a low-cost and information rich sensor, capable of assisting in, and perhaps one day independently performing maritime human searches.
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Aerial Photography using Fish Eyes lensesAerial photography obtained by UAVs is a rising market for civil applications. Small UAVs are believed to close gaps in niche markets, such as acquiring airborne image data for remote sensing purposes. Small UAV will be able to fly at low altitudes, in dangerous environments and over long periods of time. However, the small lightweight constructions of these UAVs lead to new problems, such as higher agility and more susceptibility to turbulence. This research investigates the use of fisheye lenses, to overcome such problems. The fisheye lens has the benefit of a large observation area (large FOV) and doesn't add additional weight to the aircraft, such as traditional mechanical stabilizing systems.
(wmv 6.74 MB) Example image captured from an aircraft with a downward pointing fisheye lens We present the implementation of a fisheye lens for aerial photography and mapping purposes, with potential use in remote sensing applications. We describe a detailed investigation from the fisheye lens distortion to the registering of the images. Results of the process are presented using representative data gathered from a piloted aircraft demonstrating the effectiveness of the approach. Publications Related Sites
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Onboard Sense-and-ActThe techniques used in the detection of target in images required a high number of morphological operations in every image pixel. This research deals with the development of hardware-based image procesing systems with the aim of processing in parallel every pixel in the image. This research is part of the Sense-and-Act research program and will be testes in the context of the Smart Skies project.
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Mission Critical Distributed RealTime Computing PlatformsAs computing hardware becomes smaller and lighter and consumes less power it becomes practical to have multiple computing nodes installed on even a small vehicle system. Having multiple computing nodes on a single physical agent presents the opportunity to distribute the computational load of flight computers and payload among the nodes. It also allows for the introduction of faulttolerant redundancy a key factor in missioncritical computing. To provide this capability, the computing software and hardware as well as communications and other electronics that make an vehicle system's computing platform must support the mobility of computational functions between computing nodes during operation without jeopardising the mission.
The objectives of this research are:
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