Micro Aerial Vehicles - platforms
Multi-robot Systems group operates a wide variety of aerial platforms for research and other deployments. All our platforms are capable of completely autonomous flight and operation. Various sensory packages are used for different tasks, allowing autonomous operation in difficult environments with obstacles, without GPS, and with poor or no lighting. Our MAVs are running a custom software solution developed by our group. It is based on ROS, which enables rapid software development and easy integration.
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Our platforms are equipped with PixHawk flight controller running the PX4 stack, which acts as a low-level controller. Each platform has also a powerful onboard computer, usually an Intel NUC. This computer runs all the control and estimation algorithms, and takes in data from multiple sensors. Our drones can communicate and actively avoid collisions with each other or with the environmental obstacles.
We are able to build a MAV platform for your needs. Simply use dronebuilder web page and let us know what you would like to have.
MAV platforms:
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Holybro X500
Our newest platform based upon the Holybro X500 frame. The installed equipment is optimized to make this drone ready for an autonomous indoor flights in harsh environments (subterranean, halls, industrial areas, etc.) relying on on-board sensors only. It is equipped with a 3D LIDAR for spatial perception, 2pcs of RGB-D camera for vertical maneuverability, 2pcs of RGB camera for visual inspections, and adjustable on-board light. We use this platform for the difficult subterranean environments in the DARPA Subterranean Challenge.
Specs:
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Tarot T650 Sport Our large general-purpose platform with high lifting capability. Ideal for larger payloads and sensors, and longer flights. It can be easily modified and customized for different applications. This platform was used to solve all the challenges at the MBZIRC 2020 robotics competition. Specs:
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DJI F450 Our lightest general-purpose platform. With its small size and weight, this is our primary platform for indoor and other GPS denied areas with obstacles. This platform is often used with the UVDAR system for onboard relative localization for swarming experiments. We also use this platform for the difficult environments in the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. Specs:
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NAKI Specialized platform for inspection of historical buildings. Custom built by our group, this platform is optimized to carry a high-quality digital camera on a gimbal to document and monitor interiors and exteriors of historical buildings. Eight coaxially mounted rotors provide high thrust in a small package, ideal for indoor flying. Specs:
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Eagle.One MK 1 Prototype platform for the Eagle.One drone hunter project. This is our largest platform, it has a powerful stereo camera for target tracking, and a netgun to capture intruder drones. With its massive payload capacity, it can safely carry the captured target. Eight rotors also provide redundancy in case of a rotor failure. Specs:
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Videos of MAVs:
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Holybro X500 |
Tarot T650 Sport |
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Retired platforms:
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MikroKopter L4-ME The main experimental platform employed for verification of multi-robot experiments. A fleet of 6 MAVs equipped with relative visual localization was used for experiments. |
Student's MAVs Several MAVs built from available components equipped by a custom control system developed by Bc. and Msc. student of MRS group to complement MikroKopters in experiments. |
AR-drone A light quadrotor is employed for experiments in environments with possible occurrence of humans due to safety.
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Our platforms in action:
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MBZIRC 2020 Challenge #2 (Bricks) A video summary of our participation in the second challenge of the Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotic Challenge (MBZIRC) 2020. Our team - Czech Technical University in Prague, University of Pennsylvania and New York University - landed first place in a fierce competition
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Fully autonomous UAV swarm in a forest without GPS or communication We leveraged LIDAR-based slam, in conjunction with our specialized relative localization sensor UVDAR to perform a de-centralized, communication-free swarm flight without the units knowing their absolute locations. The swarming and obstacle avoidance control is based on a modified Boids-like algorithm, while the whole swarm is controlled by directing a selected leader unit. |
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Dronument: Reliable deployment of UAVs in dark areas of large historical monuments A robust aerial system for autonomous deployment in environments without access to global navigation systems and with limited lighting conditions. The system, application-tailored for documentation in dark areas of large historical monuments, uses a unique and reliable platform with a multi-modal lightweight sensory setup to acquire data in human-restricted areas with bad lighting conditions, especially in areas that are high above the ground.
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| For more videos with our MAVs see our youtube channel. |
