Real-time unmanned aerial vehicle 3D environment exploration in a mixed reality environment

Abstract

This paper presents a novel human robot interaction system that can be used for real-time 3D environment exploration with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The method creates a mixed reality environment, in which a user can interactively control a UAV and visualize the exploration data in real-time. The method uses a combination of affordable sensors, and transforms the control and viewing space from the UAV to the controller's perspective. Different hardware and software configurations are studied so that the system can be adjusted to meet different needs and environments. A prototype system is presented and test results are discussed.