Haptic Feedback-Based Reactive Navigation for Aerial Robots Subject to Localization Failure

Abstract

This paper considers the problem of resilient and collision-tolerant navigation of aerial robots when the estimation of the full robot pose and the map of the environment is not possible due to sensor failure or severe degradation. Typical examples relate to GPS-denied operation in visually-degraded environments (e.g. smoke-filled tunnels, dust-filled mines) where exteroceptive sensing such as visual cameras and LiDAR becomes degraded and therefore reliable localization and mapping is not possible. A bioinspired alternative approach for resilient and collision-tolerant flight is proposed and only relies on inertial sensors, barometric readings, and force sensing on antennae integrated perimetrically to the robot's body. A reactive control scheme is implemented and enables operation within the collision-free space, as well as safe interaction with the environment objects and surfaces. Experimental results demonstrate the potential of the proposed approach especially in relation to operation within confined environments.