A virtual GPS design using information of indoor localisation system for robotics navigation

Abstract

In order to optimise gains, log data, and verify performance, people must perform repeated experiments on robotics platforms. Therefore, conducting such experiments outdoors might be inconvenient for researchers at this stage, particularly if GPS information is required for location identification. Additionally, testing robots such as drones may result in abnormal behaviours because of unproven approaches. Therefore, experiments in the laboratory will be safer and faster, but GPS receivers used in robots do not work properly in buildings. This work is the first of its kind to design a virtual GPS that calculates its data using an indoor motion tracking system by converting the local position information into global positions in geodetic coordinates. To maintain the connection between GPS and robot, the work also formats the location dataset in specific binary structure using UBX messages. A quadcopter with an on-board powerful computer was used to validate the real-time execution of the adopted approach.